 |
 Starting a Coffee House
|
OPENING THE IOPAN
by Marilyn Berner
Looking back 43 years and trying to remember accurately is a little difficult, but I'm sure someone will let me know if I have made mistakes.
Starting the IOPAN reminds me of the kids in the old movies who said, “Hey, I have an idea--let's put on a show!” No money and no experience, but we forged ahead. The IOPAN building was an old 2½-story house at the corner of Chapala and Micheltorena streets. It had fireplaces and stained glass in some of the doors, hardwood floors, and a porch going around half of the house. We lived upstairs. Bill and his friend made all of the tables (picnic tables, if you recall) right in the main seating room of the IOPAN, and decorated the walls with Bill's paintings. I made drapes by hand out of burlap (classy, don't you think?). We went to a restaurant supply house in LA to buy mugs, candle holders, and other supplies. What an adventure! It was really fun. Bill painted a sign for the front of the house. We found some ancient newspapers and magazines in the attic, and Bill made a collage of them on the walls of the men's room. In retrospect, they were very old and may have been worth something. Oops!
We needed a full-time house singer-we really wanted Tony Townsend, but he was working elsewhere-so we had to search. I don't recall exactly how we found him, but we hired a wonderful young man named TRACY CALVERT.
(Floyd) CHIP CROSBY (who later changed his name to ETHAN CROSBY), was a very good local musician [and a super guy] who was playing stand-up bass and singing at a club in town. He told Bill that he had a kid brother who could really sing, and asked if we would consider hiring him. Bill agreed, of course. CHIP's kid brother was DAVID CROSBY, and we hired him as the part-time singer.
[Note: CHIP, or ETHAN, passed away a few years ago, but I hope people will not forget him or his music. I loved to hear him sing “Kansas City” and “The Seventh Son” and watch him play that bass-there was a joy about him when he performed. I won't forget.]
The third singer who was there at the beginning and sang for just a short time was my friend JUDY HEROLD, who sang like an angel.
The most exciting event was opening night, April 27, 1961, when we opened the door and some people actually came in. It was like having a party and wondering if anyone would show up-and they did! I remember that we took in exactly $65 that night. Amazing! Hey, I have an idea--let's put on some more shows!
It is safe to say that no one ever came to the IOPAN for the coffee, but there was some pretty awesome talent that graced our stage in the year and a half that we were open. They certainly entertained me, and made me proud!
Marilyn Berner
May 2004
 |
nrico Banducci's hungry i lives again!
Be sure and check out the website
celebrating the great San Francisco club at www.hungryi.net
|