Jeffrey Varnado

Former Ebay Sellers vs. Ebay, Inc.
2018-03-05 19:39:11 (UTC)

Sol's Turf Bar & Delicatessan

Any remembrances of Sol's Turf Bar -- 1515 Commerce The owner, Sol, was E. R. Solomon --- and although the place looked like it was decorated in the 1950's -- lots of black and red and an overhead mural of South Sea maidens, Sol claimed to have been a business man on Commerce Street since 1935. The specialty of the house was pizza. (Although my father liked the pepperoni SANDWICH). I've also been told that they made THE BEST hot pastrami on rye by someone whom I trust to know. And there were always fun characters hanging out there. And the place was frequent by both Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby. Away from the Turf Bar -- I think Mr. Solomon lived on Versailles.
I'd like to know more about the history of the place -- And, when it closed. It was still there in the late 1980s -- but, I think the building must now, long be torn down -- and Sol moved on to the next life. UPDATE: Sol's Turf Bar and the Commerce Street Newsstand, Commerce St., Dallas, Texas....As it turns out, both downtown Dallas institutions have since been razed to make way for Neiman Marcus' valet parking
Thanks --
David.
Lee Chevalier
Re: Sol's Turf Bar
July 01, 2005 09:41AM
When I was a kid, Sol's represented the closest I could get legitimately to the News Stand and its "adult content" without getting shooed away. It had bookies and pressmen not interested in the Press Club across the street. I was the child of "manhattanized" Texans so I got a lot of sandwiches there. In the early 80s we started US Telephone next door in the Magnolia Building and enjoyed it a lot. When we all moved UST to Kansas City to form Sprint, we kept a "Sol's Club" at a variety of spots to remember our comfort there, although we never found the slightly discreditable ambience of Sol's.
David Wren
Re: Sol's Turf Bar
July 01, 2005 11:18AM
Dear Lee -- The same is true for me with the Commerce St. Newsstand and the section in the back where only "adults" were allowed. And Sol's was right there. You wrote a response to one of my previous postings about the Magnolia Building --- which I appreciated very much. I feel as if I grew up on that block of Commerce -- from The Adolphus to Neiman Marcus -- as my father officed in the Magnolia Building for 40 years except while away during W.W. II. Please feel free to use my email address and write to me directly. -- David.
Reply Quote
Clyde Howard
Re: Sol's Turf Bar
July 01, 2005 03:05PM
Ah yes - recall it well, from the 60s, mainly, myself. And the Commerce Street News Stand, which I frequented for the science fiction paperbacks instead of the (fascinating but off-limits) adult section. Ah for the old days - don't think anything is off-limits now.
Can't say they were the best - but I can't ever recall getting a better hot pastrami on rye than Sol's served. And that includes some from places in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
July 08, 2005 06:48PM
All I remember is good pizza, racing forms and bookies. Fun place as a kid.




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