Club Zombie, a Tiki bar, opened inside the Hawley House Hotel (West St. Clair Avenue and West 3rd Street) in 1940. Club Zombie was one of the first 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.

  • J. Mark Souther Postcard. Creator: Artvue Post Card Co.
  • Hawley House Hotel. Ca. 1950s. Western Reserve Historical Society.
  • Billboard. August 3, 1946.
  • Plain Dealer. August 18, 1946.
  • Plain Dealer. May 18, 1947.
  • Plain Dealer. December 15, 1947.

Additional information coming soon.

Resources

  • King, Benjamin. “Sheraton-Cleveland’s Kon-Tiki Restaurant: Cleveland’s Favorite Exotic Getaway.” Cleveland Historical.
  • Pullen, Glenn C. “Club Zombie Opening.” Plain Dealer. December 16, 1940.
W St Clair Ave & W 3rd St, Cleveland, OH 44113
1940s Defunct Downtown Drag Entertainment Venues LGBT+ Friendly Spaces Mixed Gender Spaces

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