Johnoff's Rose Bowl was a restaurant and place for dancing and entertainment in Saint Louis, Missouri. My dad remembers this place fondly. His childhood friend Al Albrecht (not sure if I spelled that correctly, the phonetic pronunciation "all-brick") was the grandson of the owner, a Bulgarian immigrant who went by the name "Johnoff." His mother was Vivien Albrecht, a tough Bulgarian woman who raised Al on her own after Al's father deserted the family many years prior. Johnoff and his daughter Vivien ran the restaurant which started out in 1938 according to legal documents.
1940's Saint Louis was an exciting time and the restaurant had many patrons including wise guys such as Costello a well known mobster.
My father remembers hanging out as a kid with friend Al at the restaurant. At night, there was dancing and singing and gambling at tables with body guards, like a scene out of the movie "Goodfellas."
The restaurant no longer exists but photos of those times are sure to surface and I welcome anyone with memories of this place to contribute.
