A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from May 27, 2005
Singles Bar
New York City can probably take credit for the first "singles bars." in the mid-late 1960s, Friday's and Maxwell's Plum opened on the Upper East Side and were termed "singles bars," or places where non-married people could meet.

"Singles bars" were very popular places a long long time ago, before there was an internet. (See the "businesses" section of this website for "Friday's.")


The Free Dictionary
sin·gles bar (sngglz)
n.
A bar patronized especially by unmarried men and women.

(Oxford English Dictionary)
single, n.
Special combination, in pl.: singles bar U.S., a bar which caters esp. for young unmarried people in search of social companions.
1969 S. M. COY Single Girl's Bk. vii. 34 Singles bars..are generally frequented by those under thirty... The good singles bars are crowded, which provides protective covering for the girl who is timid.
1971 D. E. WESTLAKE I gave at Office 141, I looked around to find myself in a sort of New York singles' bar without people.
1974 R. M. STROZIER in Atlantic Monthly Mar. 44 When I visit the East Side singles bars, some of these upper-class snooty girls look down on you.

19 January 1968, Washington (DC) Post, pg. B12:
Now all public eating establishment in the District that serve alcoholic beverages - from the fanciest restaurant to the newest singles bar - operate under the same regulations.

24 November 1968, Los Angeles (CA) Times, pg. B2:
The Singles Bar- (...) In most districts there is a "dating" or "singles" bar, the kind girls feel safe about going into alone or in pairs.

23 June 1969, Chicago (IL) Tribune, pg. B3:
The latest entry in the popular singles bars of New York City is called Tuesday's - owned by the proprietor of Friday's, Thursday's, and Wednesday's.

14 September 1969, Los Angeles (CA) Times, pg. D3:
"I've never had too much luck with singles bars," said Karen.

October 1969, Playboy, pg. 38, col. 3 (the bars Friday's, Thursday's, Wednesday's, and Tuesday's are reviewed--ed.):
Friday's (1152 First Avenue), the "swinging singles" bar that started off the rearranged calendar, serves some food but specializes in draft beer.

15 December 1969, New York (NY) Times, pg. 68:
"JOHN AND MARY" stars Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow as the sort of unattached New Yorkers who frequent singles bars,...
Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityRestaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores • Friday, May 27, 2005 • Permalink


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