Talk:Sutton’s Place

Comments on Sutton’s Place

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Chdaxe said ...

05:31, 19 March 2010 (EST)

Some of the bio runs contrary to what I personally know & remember. I believe Ernie Pesis bought the bar from Gordon Locksley, which gave it a gay ownership before Ernie purchased it. Rumors swirled about Ernie, probably because he was a mystery to most, as he never came to the bar during business hours & only worked in it's office during the day. I knew him personally & never had any inkling of any untoward activity beyond convincing a friendly judge to fix his friends parking tickets. He impressed me as a true straight ally of the gay community. He passed away a few years ago, & I remember him as a decent caring individual.

His son Ronnie Pesis who owned the Saloon was another matter. Perhaps that is where the questionable business dealings comes from. Ronnie had some drug related legal difficulties & put his bar in the names of Andy & John who subsequently took over, but the specific details are not known to me. Ernie's other son, Jimmy who is still in the area could perhaps fill in the blanks.

Suttons moved briefly to 5th & Hennepin, where it was quickly overwhelmed by straight partiers. Soon it's gay identity was lost & eventually it through an identity change followed by a name change. It was glamorous fun while it lasted.

love sutton place said ...

14:43, 16 May 2010 (EST)

Old Sutton's...New Suttons...Grewatest Dance Club of its' era. Influenced many top dj's and music professionals! I got pictures...and recently spoke with an original "Sutton Place Dancer"! What a great place! Weren't all the Hennepin Avenue Liquor Dealers associated with the mob? Pesis, Gold, Montpetit...

miss hennepin ave. said ...

14:51, 16 May 2010 (EST)

Sorry to bring this up, but wasn't it Chester Daxe who opened a warehouse dance club called Metropol, hired DJ Jerry Bonham away from the Saloon, then shortly thereafter burned down the Metropol for insurance proceeds???

disco dancer said ...

05:43, 5 August 2010 (EST)

I don't know that Ronnie Pesis ever owned Sutton Place....Ronnie owned the Othello (black bar turned into the Y'all Come Back Saloon) I believe that Ernie put Sutton Place into Jimmy's name for a while before Jimmy opened up Jimmy's over by Hiawatha. So there is a bunch of misinformation here..and I agree that Chester Daxe did burn down a bar in Mpls. using that money to open Grand Finale in St. Paul. Chester claimed to have designed some of the interior at the new Sutton Place in the old Elks Club. And that line about Ernie Pesis only being able to "fix a parking ticket" is a standard response from organized crime members. Known as the Jewish Mafia..mpls bar owners were all connected to the organized crime networks that arose from prohibition. There were stories about the "bad jew" Richard Gold-Gay 90's and the Good Jew-Ernie Pesis who was more of a nice man than a mobster. The Saloon and Sutton Place certainly were "protected" establishements where ANYTHING GOES!!!

Robbie Levine said ...

10:49, 5 August 2010 (EST)

I would love to get together with people that went to Sutton's. Love to see pictures also or get my hands on a Sutton's annex ash tray. Loved loved loved that bar