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The Crystal Beer Parlor at the corner of Jones and Jefferson made its first appearance 80 years ago, shortly after Prohibition ended on Dec. 5, 1933.
To commemorate its anniversary, members of the Antique Automobile Club of America decided to have lunch there Friday and filled the parking lot with old cars, some of them dating back to the 1920s.
That’s about the time the building that became the Crystal Beer Parlor was called Henry Gerken Family Groceries.
Then, in the early 1930s, it became a restaurant called the Crystal Palace. It’s suspected the owners at the time, William “Blocko” and Connie Manning added “beer” to the name to acknowledge the added feature.
Current owner John Nichols, who grew up in Savannah and has a long history with the Crystal Beer Parlor, told columnist Bill Dawers recently he’s still surprised by the support the place continues to receive and the memories patrons continue to share.
“I knew we would do well,” Nichols said. “ But there was no way I could anticipate the love that Savannahians have for this place.”
