On Thursday November 20,1997, a fire destroyed the Liverpool Landing Pub. Originally called the Horseshoe Tavern, then "Our Place Beverage Room & Grill", it was always more commonly known as "the tavern". Many a good times were held at this watering hole by a lot of Liverpool residents and visitors to our town. The food was terrific, the live music always a treat and the crowds, especially in later years was unbelievable for such a small town tavern. Mike Whynot I believe was the original owner of the Horseshoe, later Doug Fowler, Doug Haines (?) and Frank MacIntosh owned it, changed it's name, then Michael Habib owned it. Mr Habib was owner when it was lost in the fire. I had always heard of it being quite a "rowdy place" during the Horseshoe days but I am a bit too young to have memories of that. Dart tournaments, card tournaments, and line dancing were a few events that took place here through the week. When the weekend came, live entertainment was always a must. Local musician Johnny Lake was always one of the crowd's favorites. After the fire and the clean up, the tavern was not rebuilt. The land was sold and a new building constructed and is the Liverpool Eye Care Center. I'm sure most of you are like me, that whenever I go by that building, I smile, remembering the many good times spent at the tavern.
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| The site where the Horseshoe was built - a swampy area full of trash! |
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| Liverpool Landing with the added deck |
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| Liverpool Landing's deck |
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| Sign over the front entrance |
I started going to the Tavern when I was 16. Loved playing shuffle board and pac man. I have been kicked out a few times by Carmy. The best of times. I so looked forward to Christmas. Dec 24th was always the best day to go. It was a tradition.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely miss the Christmas Eve day of hanging out at the tavern, seeing old friends home for the holidays! I think one of the best times had there was an evening spent during a female impersonator show...I had the most awesome picture of my husband surrounded by all the lovely ladies! lol
ReplyDeleteThat was the place to be on a Fri or Sat night, always had friends that met there and a good time was had by all, a sad night when it burnt down,it was there for such along time my husband actually help work on it when his uncle Mike Westhaver had it built and called it The Horseshoe Beverage Room and Grill.
ReplyDeleteMany good memories, many morning after hangovers, delicious and inexpensive food, lots of good music, live entertainment, theme nights, crazy dancing and most important...great people and friends. Couldn't beat Xmas Eve at 'the tavern'. Sometimes I wish things didn't have to change.
ReplyDeleteI can remember being a customer the first day the Horseshoe opened. In the beginning it was jointly owned by Mike Whynot and the Rhodenizer brothers from Bridgewater who owned the Tops'l Tavern. It was never that rough as Mike ran a tight ship.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if somone chose to "re-open" the tavern if they could make a decent go of it. But I'm assuming like most things in this town it would be open for 3-4 years then close. :(
ReplyDeleteThere could never be another Horseshoe, just wouldn't be the same. You'd walk in and there would be Mike sitting at the table in front of the kitchen, Carmie at the bar, who would have your beer over to you as soon as you sat down, and Toe and Flash sitting by the door with a dozen or more empty draft glasses in front of them. That place was like a second home, and I have yet to find a place where I can get a good steak like was served there.
ReplyDeleteAAAAHHHH! What can you say about the Tavern........
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it Brenda, it was a great gathering spot for Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget the one night the place was packed..standing room only..I was a waiter had a tray full and my money pouch had staples holding it together the waiter serving food ( Bonny ) and I passed one another very close in the middle of the floor..the staples caught her wrap around skirt and took it complety off....Mike jumped up and opened his coat to cover her up.. got a million stories about that place.. carm ,billy ,and me
ReplyDeleteHi, I’m Charmaine Marland….The Horseshoe was the place to be, always fun to be had there…I worked at first as a food waitress and then a beer waitress, when it fist opened. Was trying to get in touch with Mike, the last phone no. I had , didn’t get me very far. Was wondering if anyone knows who I could contact, so I could get in touch with him. He was married in Halifax quite a while ago. If anyone has any info for him, please e-mail me at charmaine3114@icloud.com. Ty
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