It was another Saturday night in Toledo, Ohio, but not the boring kind described in the lyrics of the old John Denver song. Not this time. In fact, it was a downright enjoyable night. This photo was taken by Blade Chief Photographer Tom O’Reilly shortly after 7 p.m. on October 20, 1973. The parking lot was already filling up at the Granada, on Monroe Street near Secor Road. The piano bar was a place for a date, to unwind from the week, or to just sit back with a drink and listen to the music. In 1973, Monroe Street was quite the happening place to be. From Erie Street in Sylvania to Summit Street in downtown Toledo, Monroe Street boasted at least 75 bars and restaurants, eight churches, six hotels and motels, a cemetery, a park, 42 gas stations, 21 furniture and appliance stores, 13 car dealers, 10 shopping centers, two nurseries, and a couple of bakeries.
THE BLADE/TOM O'REILLY
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