Bars
Jake’s Cafe - Located on Merrimack St next to the former DPW site. I’m not sure why is was called a cafe, but I’m sure someone out there would know. As far as I remember it may have been owned by a gentleman with the last name of Sargeant. As Newburyport developed from a bombed out vacant ghost town, to where the beautiful people came to dwell and live, there was no room in the neighborhood for a place named Jakes. You see in Newburyport during the late 80’s and into the 90’s, even the name Jake’s could get your sign taken down if it was in the wrong neighborhood. Across from Jakes a new waterfront residential development came to be, and the Jakes sign was just an eye sore to the people in direct view of it. For the rest of us Natives we didn’t have that beautiful person mindset, so it didn’t matter. Merrimac St wasn’t High St anyway… Still isn’t. Locate it.
North End Boat Club - Even though the name suggests “Boat Club”, you never actually had to own a boat to be a member. That simple fact has probably saved many a member’s life. No boat? No problem! Locate It
DAV - Located off the traffic circle.
Neptune -
Timmy Meehans ( turned into the Ming Jade )
Ming Jade
Black Sheep ( Port Plaza, next to old movie theatre )
Jacob Marleys
Dreadnot ( the best bar in town )
Port Rec ( bowling alley had a “lounge” )
Steak N Stein
The Port Rec Center never had a lounge. It had a shoe storage room for regular bowlers that the owners turned a blind eye to regular league members bringing in a “little” stronger refreshments than the tonic sold there. They had to keep the door closed and not bring any out of the room until leaving.
The Man that owned Jake’s cafe was Jake Ellison, Not Sargent. as was said above When it first opened it was a family bar run by Jake and his brother Leo.It was a place where friends and family could meet have a few drinks play pool and so on. As time went by Jake’s reputation went bye bye… It was no longer a family type establishment. The rest is history.
The Polish Club
The American Legion
The Moose Hall
The DAV
Ohh the memories HA!
The Neptune’s is located on Hancock St
There was a bar I believe it was on RT1 called E.J.’s..alot of the Boston Bruins and others hung out there in the 70’s..Bobby Ore Derick Sanderson and thier Hockey Team