Seven Secret Indy 500 Remnants-- Part 6: White Front Tavern

WHITE FRONT, 3535 W. 16TH STREET

Here is where racing people of yore hunkered down after a day at the track and hoisted a beer or six.  Bill Vukovich, A.J. Watson, Bobby Unser and on-and-on.

Here A,J, Foyt, who is a four-time Indy 500 champion, but was not good at drinking, once was tricked into downing too many screwdrivers and ended up tossing his cookies (though possibly not until he got back to his motel room).

The place is no longer the White Front.  It is now Club Venus, a gentleman's club.  It is windowless and dark.  From the outside, the old building is practically unchanged, but the only trace of the interior of the venerable watering hole is in the men's room, where the old ceramic-style cinderblock walls are still out in the open and look just like they did when the great Foyt either hurled there or didn't.

Not Me.  --Cooter

Mates' White Front Bar-- Part 2: Piston Ash Trays

George and Violet Mates began their bar and restaurant shortly after the end of Prohibition and it soon became a favorite of race car drivers, crews and fans.  A.J. Foyt and the Unser brothers among others were regulars during the month of May.  A lot of Indy 500 winners would come into the place to celebrate their victories.

They had huge crowds all month long every May.  They were even closed down on occasion for having too many people.

Not only were the drinks reasonable, but the food was very good and fairly inexpensive, even for back then.  The interviewer mentioned a T-bone dinner for $3 and fillet-mignon for $2.75.  Bill Vuckovich, Sr, was from eastern Europe and they used to make up European food for him.

George ran the bar and Violet the kitchen.  George was also well aware of self promotion and would give the racers and their crews free tee shirts and if they wore them at the track, they'd also get a free dinner.  Those tee shirts are much sought after these days.

Another collectible George made was the ash trays he had on the bar.  He made them out of pistons, set them on the bar and had to keep a watchful eye so that no one walked out with them.  They sold for $30-$40 even back in the 1950s.

One famous guest at the grand opening of the second Mates' White Front was Groucho Marx.

The bar, however, was forced to close because of a misunderstanding over the books and later became the strip club located at the site today.

--DaCoot

Mates' White Front Historic Bar Was Frequented By Indy 500 Drivers-- Part 1

I came across an interesting article in the May 23, 2015, Indianapolis Star newspaper "Indy 500 drivers loved Mates' White Front" about a historic place near the Speedway called Mates' White Front Bar and Restaurant.  Many times you could go there after a race and racing times and meet drivers.

It was established originally in 1935 by George and Violet Mates at another site which featured the entire front painted white and moved to 3535 W. 18th Street in September 1952 and was run by their sons Mike and Nick in the 1950s and 1960s.  It continued to be called White Front even though it was never painted white like the original.

The newspaper had pictures and one was of a menu showing the price of a cheeseburger and pork tenderloin at 45 cents.

The second building still stands, but is a strip club today called Club Venus.

I sure wish this bar was still there as I would definitely make sure I visited it.  Kind of like a racing Tootsie's Pink Orchid Lounge in Nashville.

Drink One for the Race.  --Cooter