Lansdowne Cafe

1447 Broadway was not a bar prior to Prohibition. The building was a private residence at the time of the 1920 Census. A saloon did exist on the opposite corner, at 1451 Broadway, run by Stephen Stefaniak. This bar was in existence as late as 1921. At some point that building was acquired by Frank Leonard, and the building was converted into a funeral home. By 1930 Stephen Stefaniak had moved to Runnemede NJ, where he operated a grocery store.

1447 Broadway is listed in the 1931 Camden City Directory as a cafe with Jacob Toner as the proprietor. Joseph Leonard was running the bar in the summer of 1934. Freda Cook was listed as the proprietor in the November 1936 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory.

By 1938 Thomas A. Clark owned the bar. He operated the bar, which featured food and live entertainment. The Lansdowne was well known for crabs for many years. When Mr. Clark died, his wife took over management of the bar. Around 1959–1960 Joe Greco bought the Lansdowne Cafe and ran it as late as 1967. Camden lawyer Anthony M. Lario had an interest in the bar at one point, being listed as secretary of Lansdowne Cafe Inc. on the liquor license renewal application in 1967.

The Lansdowne Cafe was renamed in the mid-1970s, and was known as the Jewel Box Cafe, and later as the New Jewel Box Cafe. In 1984 Mel Jones bought the property, and ran it as the Debonair Lounge as late as December of 1985. By September of 1987 the building had been abandoned and was written up for multiple building code violations. The license was sold and transferred to the Boulevard Lounge at 1300 Admiral Wilson Boulevard, the old Sear-Roebuck building. 1447 Broadway is no longer standing.

Thanks to John Cianfrani for his help with this page.