The Mystery Buttons at the Old Town Bar
The details in a place as old as the Old Town Bar pile up over the decades. You can visit regularly and not notice everything on the walls, ceiling and floor.
Recently, I was having a burger at the Old Town, taking a side table with a fine view of the old wooden phone booth, when I noticed a series of doorbell-like buttons along the chair rail. What the hell? I pressed one. Nothing happened, at least nothing I could see or hear.
I asked the waitress about the buttons. She said they once worked, and they were used by customers to get the attention of the wait staff. The wiring broke years ago. Who would have thought service was once so civilized at the ancient tavern?
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6 comments:
I think there are the same buttons at the Brooklyn Inn. In the back room where the pool table was. Well, at least they WERE there last time I looked before their recent renovations.
like calling a nurse at the rehab home
I remember when I was growing New Garden Chinese Restaurant that used to be on the corner of Meserole and Manhattan Avenues in Greenpoint, Brooklyn had these buttons at there booths. I always had the temptation to press one when we ate there. But the one eyed waiter always scared me. LoL
They used to have those call buttons at Fannellis. I remember them working but then that was back before Soho became what ever it is today.
So many service buttons once upon a time! Gosh, New York used to be a swell place.
Bamonte's, one of Greenpoint's best old-school red-sauce joints, also has similar table buttons.
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