The Buzz: Readers say Darboy Club and Monarch Gardens/Country Aire hold sweet memories – Appleton Post Crescent

Darboy Club and Monarch Gardens both close Sunday.

The two landmark banquet halls were more than just buildings to some Fox Cities residents.

It’s where they met their spouses. Or where they saw a band that would one day become famous. It’s where they had weddings, funeral lunches and sports banquets over more than 50 years.

More: The Buzz: “We have room,” say banquet halls to displaced brides and grooms

Darboy Club

The 57-year-old local landmark at N9695 County N in Harrison is well-known for both banquets and its public buffets, brunches, chicken and fish fries. In its early days, it was at a four-way stop with nothing much around it other than a gas station.

What readers said:

“My parents were the original owners of the business, Paul and Mary Jane Gosz,” said Ann Pretzel. “My dad, who was a home builder, built the Darboy Club. My parents ran the business up to approximately 1970, when it was purchased by Jim and Junior (Roman) Salm. My siblings and I were all employees during our high school years. More recently, the Darboy Club was the location where my now husband and I met each other, seven years ago at a Friday night dinner group. I’d like to think my parents had a hand in that.”

“As a former employee and frequent flyer to this fine local banquet hall, it saddens me deeply to see this long time fixture in the valley close its doors. The Darboy Club was always managed well and chicken dinners will never be matched by anyone,” wrote Tom Brown.

“A special memory for this mom is when I worked Wednesday evenings and my husband and son would head over for a fish dinner, their special bonding time,” wrote Mary Nackers, now of Venice, Florida. “The reason behind this precious memory is that we lost our Brian in 2014.”

More: Darboy Club, a local landmark and banquet institution, sunk by competition, says owner

Country Aire/Monarch Gardens

Country Aire opened in 1964 at 2311 W. Spencer St. in Grand Chute. It was sold in 1994 and renamed Monarch Gardens. Both were known for banquets and wedding receptions. The Country Aire also had bands three nights a week and some were famous, or went on to fame, including Speedy and the Alka Seltzers, Conway Twitty, Johnny Tillotson, Del Shannon, Huey Lewis and the News and The Turtles.

What readers said:

“My daughter Betty Lou’s wedding was the very first celebration at the Country Aire on April 25, 1964. It was such a nice place,” said Valoise Meyer. “It was so new that they didn’t know exactly what to charge. They gave us a good deal on it.”

Leroy Fischer’s parents opened the Country Aire and he worked there. He remembers seeing “a cute blonde with slick leather hot pants, boots and leather gloves,” at a band night. She lost a glove, which he found and gave back the next time she came in. That led to a bowling date. He and Patricia have been married 54 years.

“It was a wonderful place to have a wedding reception, dinner and dance,” said Shelby Blaauw. She and new husband Doug had their reception there 32 years ago. “Before leaving, we newlyweds were given a bottle of champagne compliments of the Country Aire. Those were the days.”

“My husband and I met at Country Aire 54 years ago, and we have been married for 51 years,” said Ruthie Weber.

“Huey Lewis and the News played a gig at The Country Aire after the ‘Picture This’ album came out in the early 80s. The Red Smith Banquet was also there for many years,” remembered Michael Van Domelen. “As a boy, I attended many a bowling banquet at the Country Aire. Dude Hahn booked our youth bowling banquets here.”

“Just before Huey Lewis and the News made it big, they played there. I had no one to go with. Can you imagine?” wrote Lydia Eickert.

“I remember going to huge craft sales there and my husband saw Tommy James and the Shondells there,” wrote Gloria Erickson.

Cheri Tietz went to the Country Aire in the 1980s to hear Frank Abagnale, a con artist who worked for the FBI and wrote the book “Catch Me If you Can,” which was later made into a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. “He spoke to us regarding fraud, forged checks and quick change artists,” she said. “He stood all alone on the stage with barely a glass of water and talked without one note for over two hours. We hung on every word.” She said she attended many other receptions and events there, but none were as memorable as that night.

Mark Werth of Winneconne remembers going to Ducks Unlimited banquets with his father in the 1970s at Monarch Gardens. “Gonna miss that place,” he said. “My Dad and I always went. He’d sneak me a few beer tickets, it was the ‘70s after all, and we always had a blast.” He said the highlight of those dinners were raffles, and he won a Harley Davidson dirt bike in 1972. “It still seems like yesterday. One of the best memories of my father as well. Magical.”

“I am going to miss Monarch Gardens,” wrote Betty Warning of Grand Chute. “I do not do much cooking or baking anymore, so I was getting ‘Down Home Meals’ from Nancy (Kangas) at Monarch Gardens. They were so delicious, convenient and reasonable. Every month when I picked up my meals Nancy would throw in several items that she knew I liked. What a wonderful lady. Even when she was sick she continued to make home cooked meals for us. So she will surely be missed and I wish her well as she recovers from her cancer.”

More: The Buzz: Monarch Gardens banquet hall to close after more than half century in business

Contact Maureen Wallenfang at 920-993-7116 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @wallenfang.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)