The Lengendary Rock N Roll Dive Bar, Mr T's in Highland Park occupies a brick and concrete building that originally opened in 1929 as a garage.
Sometime in the 1940s, the garage was converted to a bowling alley. Set amid family owned diners and five-and-dime stores, the bowling alley prospered during the 1940s and 1950s.
By the 1960s, the once popular bowling alley was begining to show some signs of wear and neglect. And in 1966, Joseph "Mr T" Teresa bought the property. Joe, the son of an Italian immigrant, set up home-style buffets for the bowlers and filled the space with some live big-band music.
But Joe saw the writing on the wall. Interest in bowling was waning, the times were changing, and Joe had a idea.
He dismantled the pin machines, and took out some of the lanes to make room for a stage and dance floor. (If you look backstage, behind a large flow of curtains, you'll see a couple of the alleys are still there.)
It was crazy and funky and it worked. Mr T's Bowl evolved into a homebase for many muscians just getting started in the biz, and a staple on the underground and alternative rock and roll circuit. Joe Teresa passed in 2003, at the age of 87, and his son John is carrying on the legacy.
During the day, just look for the "B WL" sign on Figueroa Street near Avenue 57, you can enter through the front door marked by the "hp ReCReaTi n CenTeR" sign.
But after dark, the back door serves as the main entrance for the music venue. The only access to the rear entrance is from a public parking lot and alley around the corner off Avenue 57.
The regular patrons at Mr T's represent a very broad age range, so don't be surprised to see gray haired seniors cheering on punk bands, sitting beside twenty-somethings with colorful tatoos and multiple body piercings.
Watch this short video clip of local indie band, the Monolators performing at Mr T's last year for a taste of the Mr T ambience. The song title is "My Weaker Self".
Read more at the Mr T's Bowl website.
Re the alley: There are usually people around .... if it was late at night and deserted ... like any of our alleys around here (we do have some interesting alleys - I must photograph them more!) I would tend to be cautious ....
I think a person could do worse than adopting Mr T's business philosophy: Welcome everyone, support your community, stand by your friends, lend a helping hand to folks in need, act on your dreams, enjoy life......
Mr T's looks like my kind of joint. Live music, eclectic groups of people, a funky venue. Who wouldn't love that? Mr T's looks like the type of place where one might run into Charles Bukowski (and that's reason enough for me to visit)
CJ,
If it's good enough for America's #1 Mortgage Broker, I guess it's good enough for me. LOL
Mike in Tucson
Hey, I'd love to have a beer together with Brian and Mike at Mr T's..... :-)