VENUE
Penthouse, the
1947—
1019 Seymour StThe Penthouse, "one of the longest running family businesses in Vancouver" (Chapman 1), has been in operation for over sixty years. The building was constructed in 1938 by Guiseppe Filippone, who immigrated to Canada with his family from the Calabria region of Italy in the late 1920s. Originally home to the taxi and courier companies run by the family, the building became the Eagle Athletic Club in the 1940s, serving as a venue for amateur boxing. One of Giuseppe's sons, Joe Philliponi, whose last name was misspelled by authorities at Canadian Customs, took a particular interest in using boxing to reach out to troubled kids in the area and worked to get them off of the street and into the ring. He also became known for the lavish parties that he hosted in "Joe's Penthouse," his apartment space upstairs. These celebrations not only attracted attention from the Vancouver police, but also precipitated the building's transformation to a restaurant and nightclub.
Subject to the strict of the era, which limited the sale of alcohol to beer halls, the Penthouse originally operated as a bottle club. As such, the venue provided ice and mix to patrons and turned a blind eye to their concealed alcohol. The Vice Squad, however, was not nearly as understanding, and raided the club frequently. Ross Filippone remembers, "The police were in two or three times a week. Not just a couple of them - more like twenty. It was ridiculous" (qtd. in Chapman 4).
In response, Joe Philliponi and his brothers Ross, Dominic, and Jimmy spearheaded the formation of the B.C. Cabaret Owners' Society and proceeded to press for liquor law amendments. Following a 1952 provincial vote in which "more British Columbians voted in support of relaxed liquor laws than for daylight savings time - the other issue on the plebiscite" (Chapman 5), the government began granting liquor permits to restaurants and clubs. However, authorities refused to license the Penthouse until 1968. According to Ross, this injustice was the result of rumors linking the Filippones and the mob; Indeed Joe Philliponi was known as "the Godfather of Seymour Street" (Chapman 6).
The Penthouse made its mark on the Vancouver entertainment scene as a hub for after-hours activity. As current general manager Gwyn Roberts notes, "When the Cave and the Palomar would close, all the performers and guests would head to the Penthouse, which opened at 10 pm and closed at 8 in the morning" (qtd. in Usinger). But the Penthouse really found its niche during the Golden Age of Striptease, when the club joined other Vancouver venues in presenting Vegas-style burlesque entertainment. The venue carried its association with sensual amusements to the extreme in the 1970s, when it became the "epicenter of high-class prostitution" (Chapman 4). This reputation again brought the unwelcome attention of the Vancouver police, who charged the Filippones with "living off of the avails of prostitution" (Chapman 5) in 1975. However, the charges did not stick. Today, the Penthouse continues to operate as a strip club under the ownership of Joe's nephew Danny.
Subject to the strict of the era, which limited the sale of alcohol to beer halls, the Penthouse originally operated as a bottle club. As such, the venue provided ice and mix to patrons and turned a blind eye to their concealed alcohol. The Vice Squad, however, was not nearly as understanding, and raided the club frequently. Ross Filippone remembers, "The police were in two or three times a week. Not just a couple of them - more like twenty. It was ridiculous" (qtd. in Chapman 4).
In response, Joe Philliponi and his brothers Ross, Dominic, and Jimmy spearheaded the formation of the B.C. Cabaret Owners' Society and proceeded to press for liquor law amendments. Following a 1952 provincial vote in which "more British Columbians voted in support of relaxed liquor laws than for daylight savings time - the other issue on the plebiscite" (Chapman 5), the government began granting liquor permits to restaurants and clubs. However, authorities refused to license the Penthouse until 1968. According to Ross, this injustice was the result of rumors linking the Filippones and the mob; Indeed Joe Philliponi was known as "the Godfather of Seymour Street" (Chapman 6).
The Penthouse made its mark on the Vancouver entertainment scene as a hub for after-hours activity. As current general manager Gwyn Roberts notes, "When the Cave and the Palomar would close, all the performers and guests would head to the Penthouse, which opened at 10 pm and closed at 8 in the morning" (qtd. in Usinger). But the Penthouse really found its niche during the Golden Age of Striptease, when the club joined other Vancouver venues in presenting Vegas-style burlesque entertainment. The venue carried its association with sensual amusements to the extreme in the 1970s, when it became the "epicenter of high-class prostitution" (Chapman 4). This reputation again brought the unwelcome attention of the Vancouver police, who charged the Filippones with "living off of the avails of prostitution" (Chapman 5) in 1975. However, the charges did not stick. Today, the Penthouse continues to operate as a strip club under the ownership of Joe's nephew Danny.
PHOTO GALLERY
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chapman, Aaron. "Strip off the Old Block." Vancouver Courier. 6 Feb 2008.Ross, Becki. "Men Behind the Marquee: Greasing the Wheels of Vansterdam's Professional Striptease Scene, 1950-1975." The Striptease Project. 2008.
Usinger, Mike. "Know Your History - The Penthouse." Georgia Straight. 22 Feb 2007.
