Friday, August 01, 2008

End of an Ogden Era: Angelo's Closes Its Doors

Ogden's colorful and popular 25th Street biker bar schedules its final "last call" for the end of August

It's the end of an era, gentle readers. Angelo's, Ogden's one and only genuine biker bar, shuts down at the end of the month.

Read the full Ace Reporter Schwebke story here. As an added bonus, check out the embedded 2-1/2 minute video clip.

As we mark the beginning of the eighth month of Boss Godfrey's third mayoral administration, Emerald City loses yet another aspect of its colorful and unique culture, and continues its inexorable slide toward Godfreyesque milquetoast mediocrity.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

And when it closes, Historic 25th Street will become just a little less historic and a little less an interesting place to be and visit.

Sad news. First that curious old combination barbershop [one chair] and continuing rummage sale went some years ago on upper 25th Street and now Angelo's on lower 25th Street.

Be interesting to see if the building owner made a wise decision forcing his long time tenant out. I suspect he has not, but we shall see.

OgdenLover said...

Next we'll have the Disney Company coming in to further blandify our town.

Unknown said...

I, too, will miss Angelo's Tavern ... not just the history, characters, culture, and atmosphere but the pride and behind the scene policing they do on 25th Street ... you don't see much tagging on the street as the gangbangers are scared shitless of the bikers and the police report, or lack thereof, proves how totally unoffensive and confrontational these people really are ... I think it's a sad day for Ogden and an even sadder day for 25th Street ... God bless the American biker ...
Bill Parker / The City Club and Brewskis

Anonymous said...

I'm very sorry to learn that Pappas will close Angelo's because he claims "they can't afford to be there." But if not Angelo's, who? One suspects Pappas is notionally beguiled by higher rents from some FrontRunner-fueled boutique. (Well, didn't Geiger say Gucci and Prada are coming?) My God, I just don't see it in this economy.

And what will be gained by an emptier 25th Street? How is Pappas better off with no rent as opposed to some rent? Angelo's patrons were great customers. They bothered no one and they're as proud of Ogden as anyone. If Mormons avoid 25th Street because the bikers offend their sensitivities, who cares? Does Pappas envision luring Mormons to a fumigated 130 25th St.?

Anonymous said...

Off the subject, I just recieved my property valuation notice for 2008.
The value of my house has increased by 54 thousand dollars over last year.
The tax will increase by 407 dollars if approved.
looks like the valley problem has just moved to the lower valley.
I am really amazed.

Anonymous said...

MM:

Perhaps the closing of Angelo's is another --- maybe the final? --- domino falling following Hizzonah, Mayor Godfrey's decision to shut down the Ogden Summer Fest because it drew all those tacky people on motorcycles, thousands of them, who watched sinful arm wrestling contests right out there in front of God and everybody, and who --- send the chirren out of the room, please, for this must be said --- drank beer!

I'm afraid a kind of cultural regression toward the mean came in with Hizzonah, a wearing down of the interesting edges, of some of the things that made Ogden city in general, and 25th Street in particular, unique places.

Anonymous said...

Not to spit sour grapes, ala Short-deck Geiger, but Susie VanHooser personally campaigned at Angelo's during an ABATE meeting, sipping a few reebs and listening to concerns. Whereas Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey's Forehead, on behalf of the chickenshit dwarf from Harrisville that he is, sent......GTrain Wilkerson!

THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE

Anonymous said...

The first rule of being a landlord:

If you have a good tenant, don't raise the rent.

Seems odd that Mr. Pappas would raise the rent on an evidently good tenant in the hopes of getting a higher rent in a market where other projects are being cancelled.

Anonymous said...

LOL are you people really this stupid? You really think that a landlord on 25th Street is bending over to Godfrey? And that they would kick out of "good" tenant because of it?

We are in the time of an economic downturn, why the hell would someone kick out a "good" tennant.

Perhaps they aren't that good of a tenant. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one.

But vast conspiracy theories are more fun.

Anonymous said...

Too bad about Angelo's. 25th Street is indeed losing some of the features that makes it great. With the bad roof top addition proposed to the Windsor and the demolition of another historic structure on the street (and who knows what will be done with the old Star Noodle), I think incrementally we are going to see a great loss of character along the street. Maybe Ogdenlover's premonition isn't too far off.

Anonymous said...

Biker:

There is also the possibility that the landlord has another tenant already lined up, willing to pay a higher rent. Who knows?

But I have to agree with you, there is a tendency in these parts, sometimes, to see conspiracies named Godfrey behind every available tree. However, because every charge of Mayoral skullduggery cannot reasonably be sustained, it does not necessarily mean that all of them can be dismissed. To believe Hizzonah has a finger in every pie is silly. To believe he has a finger in none of them is risky.

OgdenLover said...

While riding Frontrunner the other evening, it occurred to me that it's a good thing for people of different "persuasions" to be thrown in together. Mormons who have only associated with each other (with the minor exception of a Gentile co-worker) may learn during the hour's ride that people with tattoos, spiked hair, sleveless tops, or who speak Spanish aren't so scary after all.

Re: Angelo's. I suspect that the LDS church paints a picture of every alcohol-imbibing person as being a potential drunken driver and Bowery bum. Tain't true, by a long shot. Some of us just like a glass of Cabernet with a good steak.

Anonymous said...

"biker" joe:

Ever been to Angelos? I'm heading there in a couple of hours. It's an institution for people who ride, not just in O'Town but all over the West, because it's not some fern bar catering to guys who put a new bike and some crispy new leathers on their Platinum Card when it suddenly became cool to be a "biker".

The owner has always paid his bills and has a good relationship with Pappas. As is his right, Pappas is making a financial decision-he figures the space is worth more with Angelos gone. Also, my understanding is Pappas himself told those involved the "Mayor wants the bikers off 25th Street."

It's a damn shame, but those who call the bar home will surface somewhere else. We're a stubborn breed, if nothing else.

If you haven't been, as a "biker", Joe, you owe to yourself to go have a cold one at Angelos. You might just agree that it's a sad state of affairs that OTown is losing some more of its unique character.

RudiZink said...

For those poor souls who've never been to Angelo's on a Friday afternoon/evening...

"Power Hour" starts @ 5.

Good start for an upstreet Friday night pub-crawl, working east through the taverns and clubs on "the street" Don't neglect a stop @ the KoKoMo Klub... after which you can have a few more pops, and call a cab from Bill Parker's most excellent clubs... Brewskis, and The City Club.

Check Angelo's out before it's all gone however, whatever yo do in the nxt month.

Anonymous said...

The real tragedy here is way way beyond anything anyone has mentioned so far.

If Angelo's goes, where-O-where will Matt and Stu be able to go where they can slip into the head un-noticed, gussy up in their biker drag outfits, and canoodle away the hours until they once again have to emerge into the day light as upstanding and straight suits?

What will Emerald City become without Matt gussied up in his black fish net stockings and push up bustier every once in a while? The little feller might just get real testy without this secret, but very important outlet, and then we will all be in for hell on earth.

Come on Pappas, don't unleash this mess on your old home town, we need a well recreated and relaxed mayor at the helm.

Unknown said...

Not to mention - The City Club and Brewskis offer FREE to and from shuttle service on the weekend ...

Thanks for the nice plug ...

Anonymous said...

wm m:

Ah... free shuttle service to and from where?

Unknown said...

The City Club / Brewskis shuttle picks you up at your local location and takes you to either The City Club or Brewskis and back again to your local destination ... this service has been provided for 15 years ... beats your cost for fuel or a flippin' DUI ...

Anonymous said...

Ah, good to know. TY

Anonymous said...

Rudi - 'tis a sad day indeed. Angelo's will be missed. Folks should pay a visit before they close the doors. The pics on the walls alone will make the visit worth while.

I think you might even see my smiling face somewhere in there!

Thinking back to the day I rode my first motorcycle through its doors - yes, I ride - when it was Shear Bros and The Warden ran the place. Ah, the memories (and the forgetories).

It has become an institution in Ogden (as has Pappas, the evil landlord) and will be sorely missed. I know people from all over the country who won't know where to go when they stop on their way to Sturgis or Orlando or wherever.

'snif' I feel a tear or two.

Another sad note - the Manager of Angelo's has passed on, and this Saturday will be a memorial in his honor. We will all miss Bobby Z as well.

Don't know what else to say now.

Forever and ever,
the EVER lovely Jennifer

Unknown said...

I was at Bobby's memorial today ... wow, what a send off ...it was not only a tribute to him but to Molly as well ... the crowd was huge and rightfully so ... I'd rather live with the sinners than die with the saints ... Godspeed Bobby Z ...

Anonymous said...

Bobby Z

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

I have a business near Anglos and have heard money was not the issue in not renewing Anglos lease. About a year ago a bikers bike caught on fire and he run into a rear building and started it on fire, about a month ago Anglos management was letting a person sleep down the basement , who threw a cigarette in a waste can starting a fire, the fire dpartment put out the fire out and referred it to business and licensing in Ogden City. Because the are twenty aptments above Anglos The Pappas beer license is in jeopardy.

Anonymous said...

And yet, Angelo's is still there...

The Sundowners win again.

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