Duffy's Tavern/The Bowery

Both of these old bars are still here, and are essentially the same.

THE BOWERY
110 9th Avenue North
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 626-3445

Website: The Bowery

Open since 1944, The Bowery is one of the oldest bars in the area. During the 1960s through 1975, both Duffy's and The Bowery was owned by Dick Layer; he also owned Sloppy Joe's across the boulevard. Since 1983, both Duffy's and The Bowery have been owned and managed by Victor Shamah, who is involved with many other businesses and properties in the area.

They once had the country band Alabama as the house band, before they became famous. They came to the beach in 1973- four cousins from Fort Payne, Alabama, playing as "Young Country". They later changed the name to "Wild Country". Their drummer left after one season and was replaced, creating the lineup that lasted until they left in the summer of 1980, having landed a major deal with a record company as "Alabama".

******** IN MEMORY ******** Mike Spillane, long-time Bowery employee and beach resident, and one of the sons of Mickey Spillane, has died. He was living in a boardwalk-side apartment over the Fun Plaza, and when he didn't open up the Bowery on time on Friday, October 26th 2006, he was found by friends who went to investigate. Apparently it happened very quickly. A memorial/remembrance was held for him on Wednesday night, November 1, 2006 at The Bowery, at 7pm.

Older Pictures - 70's and 80's when Alabama played in The Bowery

The Bowery and nearby bar The Keg, early 1970s
1978, one of several styles of the Bowery front. This one featured a narrow saloon along the street, with a bar and pool table. It was open for 1-2 seasons before being removed to make space for seating in The Bowery's main room.
Easter Weekend, 1980. Ed Hall (1921-1986) and his daughter Sue Hall tend bar in Duffy's Tavern. He built the bar, which is still use as of 2013.	Ed Hall, tending the door at Duffy's
1980, Sue Hall tending the bar in Duffy's Tavern	(L-R) Toni McDaniels (Manager Duffy's and The Bowery, dancer), Tara Smith (dancer), Sue Hall (bartender), Kathy Stack (dancer), Julie Mortimer (bartender), Hilda Stevens (bartender)
Sue Hall Allard, Gary Moore (waiter), Pamela Zilonka Patterson, Lisa Koontz (waitress in Duffy's) Easter weekend in Duffy's	Hilda Stevens and Alton Hodges (waiter in Bowery)
Barry "Bugs" Schronce (1946-2000), doorman, waiter and bartender. He was from Lincolnton, NC.	Bugs and Danny King, on stage
Bugs and Charlie Henderson, doormen/waiters/bouncers	Danny King, from Akron OH
1975, "Don't Cry Joe" on left, tending the bar with Clyde Ray Crouse, on the right. Clyde is from Lincolnton, NC	Clyde Ray Crouse tending bar with Danny King, 1975. Here is a more recent picture.
Price "Scuba" Osborne (1951-2001), doorman, waiter and bartender. He held a Guiness Book record and was listed in Ripleys Believe It Or Not! for carrying 34 mugs of beer 100 feet, without spilling a drop. He came to the Bowery from Eden, NC, and left to be a crew member with Alabama when they left in 1980. Pic from 1980.	Price "Scuba" Osborne, 1975 pic
Peter MacIntyre, waiter and bartender. He was also a manager for Ripley's Belive It Or Not across the boulevard, and later the aquarium and other Ripley attractions in Myrtle Beach.	Susan Ledford Elliot, sitting in the window of the Bowery Saloon
Don't Cry Joe, waiter and bartender. In the 1930s, he set a world record with his sister for marathon dancing for 5,295 consecutive hours. This dance marathon was at Madison Square Gardens, for which he won $10,000- a huge sum for the time, and a new Ford.
Larry and Toni McDaniel, managers of Duffys & The Bowery	Larry McDaniel, manager of Duffy's and The Bowery, also working as waiter and bartender from 1973-1980. He is originally from Caledonia, Mississippi.
Waiters Tom Langfitt, Joe Gregoire, and Bob "Polaroid" Green, from left to right. Tom worked in the Bowery for 28 years, and was the assistant football coach at Myrtle Beach HS.	Joe Gregoire, on right and Danny D'Antoni, waiter, in 1974. Danny was the head basketball coach at Socastee HS, and owned Chairman's Corner. For a couple of years he was an assistant coach to the LA Lakers, under his brother and head coach Mike D'Antoni.
Wayne "Sugar Bear" Hoods, waiter (on right)	Tinker and Danny King on the sidewalk
Bob "Polaroid" Green, waiter, originally from Eden, NC	Ernie Smith, waiter in The Bowery, from Eden, NC
Frank Sands, waiter and bartender in The Bowery, toured briefly with Alabama and also drove their bus	Bruce Barnett, doorman and waiter (left with Alabama, was their bus driver and road manager)
Wild Country band, 1973. This was 4 cousins from Ft. Payne, AL who were the house band at the Bowery from 1973-1980. During that time, they changed their name to Alabama.	Wild Country with 2nd drummer, Rick Scott, 1977
Randy Owen - lead singer, rhythm guitar	Teddy Gentry - bass guitar
Jeff Cook - lead guitar, keyboards and fiddle	Bennett Vartanian, 1974, playing in 1973 (right) was the original drummer and cousin to the others
Toni McDaniel dancing with the band, 1978. Jeff Cook is on left, Randy Owen on the right.	1980, notice the price of beer! Dancers are (left-right) Debbie, Kathy Stack, Toni McDaniel. Visible band members are Jeff Cook, Randy Owens, and Teddy Gentry
Toni McDaniel, Debbie, Kathy Stack, Anne, Pamela Zilonka Patterson	(L-R) Susan Ledford Elliot, Anne (bartenter in Duffy's), Toni McDaniel, Debbie (dancer in The Bowery), Kathy Stack (dancer in The Bowery)
"Bouncing Betty", a crowd favorite, dances onstage	Susan Ledford Elliot sings, with Jeff Cook to the left
Toni McDaniel, dancing on the ceiling as the stage name "April"	Toni McDaniel, dancing on the ceiling. Jeff Cook's description to Lionel Ritchie about this was the inspiration for Ritchie's 1986 song and album title 'Dancing on the Ceiling'
Toni McDaniel and Susan Ledford Elliot on left, Julie Mortimer on right, taken at one of the "old-timey photo" places on the boulevard	Susan Ledford Elliot, singer, and Alton Hodges, waiter
Danny D'Antoni, waiter	Dancers and bartenders in the Stroh's Beer wagon, with Tom Langfitt and Toni McDaniel in front. In the wagon are Debbie, Bob Green, and Sue Hall on the right.
Mike Spillane, bartender and cashier in The Bowery. He was the son of hard-boiled fiction author Mickey Spillane.	Mike Spillane and Victor Shamah, remodeling Duffy's during the off-season in Feb. 2006. Shamah bought The Bowery and Duffy's Tavern in 1980.
Kathy Stack, originally from Kernersville, NC She was a dancer in the Bowery, and managed tips and albums/T-shirt sales for Alabama.	Toni McDaniel and Julie Mortimer, bartender in Duffy's. She is originally from Morgantown, WV
2006 picture of Kathy Stack with Thomas "Tinker" Gilbert, waiter and bartender at The Bowery. He went on to become the manager of both Olive Garden restaurants in Myrtle Beach.

55th Anniversary Party - March 20, 1999

Invitation to the Bowery's 55th Anniversary Party. This fake candy wrapper had a Hershey bar inside	55th Anniversary Flyer
Kathy Stack (left) and Toni Horne (right) on the ferry, party-bound
Does the old costume still fit?...Yes!	On the way to the Party-
Snake, Bugs, Ma Gilbert
A couple of the waiters	Official Bowery cake
	Joe Gregoire, waiter
Ron tieg, owner of Tire town	Gary Moore, on right
Mike Spillane and Clyde Ray Crouse
Jeff Cook of Alabama, as they took the stage for the party	Teddy Gentry of Alabama
Randy Owen of Alabama	Susan Ledford Elliot singing onstage with Alabama
Danny King onstage w/Jeff Cook
One last picture with everyone together	Sign of a successful Bowery party

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