Category:Rubes Cafe

Rube's Cafe was primarily a Chinese-American restaurant, which for most of existence was located on the southeast corner of South Ninth and Hamilton Streets (844 Hamilton). It closed in November 1978 Originally located at 1403 Tilghman streets, the restaurant originally opened in 1936 as Grover's Pig Stand, a Barbecue drive-in as well as a sit-down facility. In 1940 Grover's was torn down and a new restraint, the Silver Ball Restaurant took it's place. The Silver Ball offered dancing, pin-ball machines, a 1,500 record jukebox, and primarily short-order food. The restaurant/nighclub was notible for a steeple with a silver ball at the top peak.

The Silver Ball closed in September 1946 and at the end of October Rube's Restaurant, owned by Robert "Rube" Frank, opened at the same location. Frank also owned the Marble Bar in the Dime Savings Bank building in Center Square. Rube's originally offered both a cocktail lounge, along with a dining room featuring seafood, steaks, pork chops and various poultry dishes. However by 1947, the menu changed to Chinese-American cuisine which made the restaurant a success. In 1949 Rubes was purchased by Gil Shirk, who owned The Home Restaurant and Marble Bar Restaurant on Center Square. Shirk renamed the restaurant "Shirk's", and ran it as a nightclub for about two years. A fire damaged the building severely in March 1951, and although the damage was repaired, Shirk decided to retire and eventually the building was sold to Dietrich's Cadillac which tore down the structure in 1953, using the lot as part of the dealership. The land was purchaced and a Sherman-Williams paint store was built on it in 1961.

After the sale to Shirk in 1949 Frank continued to operate the Marble Bar for several years until April 1956 when Frank purchased Tallmans Restaurant at 9th and Hamilton upon the death of it's owner. He renamed Tallman's as "Rubes" and moved the business to the prime Hamilton Street location, opening in June 1956. Robert Frank passed suddenly in July 1974 and ownership of Rubes was taken over by his wife Gay. Gay Frank operated the restaurant for a few years before retiring in November 1978. She passed in April 1991.

The building at 9th and Hamilton was subsequently renovated and it was reopened as "The Good Spirit", which closed in 1989. After which it was a series of short-lived clubs and restaurants:

• Chicago Sports Saloon 1989-1991
• Floras Restaurant 1991-1994
• Queen City Brewing Company 1994-1995
• Cheers of Allentown 1995-1996

In 1997, the vacant propoerty along with several other adjacent properties was taken over by the City of Allentown, and placed in the hands of the Allentown Economic Development Comittee (AEDC) to deterimine their future. In 2004 the properies from 832-844 Hamilton were purchaced by the Alvin H Butz construction company, who built a new six-story office building on the location as its new headuarters.