It’s curious we have so few advertisements for the various joints owned by the Blonger Bros. Grouping together their saloons, gambling halls, theaters and whorehouses, we count six businesses confirmed before their arrival in Denver (but probably twice that number or more), and at least ten in Denver alone, not counting policy shops, cigar store candy stands and various and sundry other enterprises.
And yet, to date we have found only eight actual newspaper ads in graphic form. That’s why it’s a privilege to add two more examples today.
This first one is for Walker & Blonger, a modest little joint the boys owned in 1898-99, with longtime Denver saloon man Sam Walker.
The second is a bit of a mystery. Here it is:
For one thing, it’s nice to see J.W. get his props here; John McCulloch’s the man who bought his eighth-share of the Forest Queen from Lou for twenty barrels of the good stuff.
There are two odd things about this, though. At this time, in December of 1896, we know of a saloon referred to as “Lew Blonger’s place” at 1644 Larimer, and the magnificent Elite Saloon, at 1626 Stout. Though this ad has the place across the street at 1625 Stout, the lunch menu is pretty convincing evidence they are referring to the Elite. But why not use the name Elite? Especially if there was another place of theirs that didn’t?