CC SA-BY Our Oakland
The Avenue is a great dive bar in Temescal at 4822 Telegraph. Purports to be a Raiders bar but all too exuberant Jets fans are known to hang here too. It opened in 2007.
Great bar games and video games are played here.
CC SA-BY Our Oakland
Earlier Bars and Restaurants
Zillow, et al, say the building was constructed in 1910; this is supported by the 1911 Sanborn maps. In the early years, there were a variety of businesses at the location, including a fruit and produce stand. Later, there was a series of bars and restaurants, most of which didn't last long.
In 1937, Irene Guidi and Joe Armosino applied for a license to sell liquor at the restaurant at 4822. The 1938 directory lists Mrs. Irene Guidi running a liquor store at 4822; the 1938 reverse directory lists it as the Green Lite Inn. That didn't last long, as in December 1938 a tavern was listed for sale.
In 1939, Leslie Amos and Joe Pacini applied for a cabaret license for the Gay-Way 'nn (or Gay-Way Inn) (see Gayway Gulch regarding the name).
In 1942, Victor Hughes, Arley Evans, and Leonard Evans applied for a liquor license; the 1944 reverse directory lists it as Len and Vic's. It's unknown if Leonard was the "Len" in Len and Bud's in 1950. They were there until at least 1952, and seemed to have a thing for auto racing.
From at least 1957 to 1967 it was Ben's Place. Ben continued the focus on auto racing.
In 1975, there were applications for a liquor license and a cabaret license for The Celest, Inc.
By 1983, it was known as The Birdcage, later The Bird Kage. In 2002 there were months of complaints by neighbors about the behavior of some of the patrons. Then in December 2002, Enrique Devers was killed outside the bar by a shotgun blast. With the help of Oakland activist Grace Neufeld, the neighbors were able to get it shut down in 2003.
Despite objections by neighbors, later in 2003, Jack Ciala, owner of Connolly's Bar, was allowed to relocate there. Connolly's had previously been 5 blocks away.
Finally, in 2007, Davey Herrick and Curtis Lee Howard opened The Avenue.
Links and References
- The Avenue website (not updated recently)
Note: unclear what any of these besides the SF Gate article cover because they are pay-walled
From 1995[1] to 2003, it was the site of The Bird Kage, a jazz bar. Oakland activist Grace Neufeld was able to get the bar shutdown after Enrique Devers, was killed in front of the bar[2]. In 2004, Jack Cicala and his wife Anne Manley moved their bar Connolly's to the location.[3] In 2007, Davey Herrick and Curtis Howard opened the bar as "The Avenue"
[1] https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&pedirect=true&docref=news/0FF343C9A04418D1
[2] https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/johnson/article/Neighbors-take-back-their-streets-Oakland-2669658.php
[3] https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&pedirect=true&docref=news/0FFE37A1CB60B180
[4] https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWNB&req_dat=1044E8845129119A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F145FAFE00BC80978
