Club Zombie, a pre-tiki bar, opened inside the Hawley House Hotel (West St. Clair Avenue and West 3rd Street) on Thursday, December 19th, 1940. It was owned by Sammy Brin.
Club Zombie was one of the first tropical/pre-tiki bars in Cleveland and featured tropical theming that extended from its lush decor to its Polynesian drinks.
Club Zombie frequently featured local and national entertainment acts, including top-billed female impersonators. In 1946, “Boys Will Be Girls Revue,” an immensely popular and nationally-renowned female impersonator revue starring Lynne Carter, Titanic, and Del Raye, maintained top billing at Club Zombie for over seven consecutive weeks.
This club was open at least through 1946 according to newspaper advertisements, and possibly later...