By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Howard’s Club H got to rocking a little early Saturday. At 2 p.m. the Mechanical Cat was on stage rapping about other worlds against a psychedelic background.
The business at hand though was a centered on a very real world cause – helping the 10 or so employees of the Corner Grill, who have lost work because of the Feb. 1 fire.
The Grill is a beloved part of the downtown scene, whether for folks people heading to work at dawn, the employees from the county courthouse down the block, or the late night revelers and the workers who serve them. It’s been that for decades.
So Howard’s, another venerable downtown establishment, opened its doors to host the benefit that ran from early afternoon to early the next morning with a full slate of bands, as well as a buffet of home cooked food and raffle items.
Howard’s employee Nikki Cordy who organized the benefit reported: “It was absolutely amazing. It certainly exceeded my expectations. We had perfect weather,everyone was in such a positive and fun mood,we ran on time,all the bands showed up & kicked ass,we raised over $4,000. I couldn’t possibly be happier.”
Larry Cain, the owner of the Grill, said he was glad to see the turnout to help his employees. They’re a team, he said. He now expects the Grill will take three to four months to open its doors. A glance inside the diner shows a gutted interior.
The linoleum counter, Cain said, has been saved. That’s good, given he wants to preserve as much of the eatery’s classic look as possible. He hopes when the Corner Grill reopens it will feature that old atmosphere but with a much improved operation for his workers, including space for another cook in the grill area. All that will take time working with disaster recovery, architects and construction crews.
In the meantime, Patrick McDermott, the third shift cook at the Grill, said he was reaching out to places he used to work to pick up shifts. The other staff, many of whom worked multiple jobs, are doing the same.
McDermott had said earlier in the week that he was so distraught about the fire he wasn’t even able to watched a video about it.
Standup comic Dick Pretzel said he was saddened when he heard the news about the fire. He was among those donating their time Saturday. He was serving as master of ceremonies for show that included sets by about a dozen bands.
Pretzel said he likes to host benefits. “It makes me feel really good to lend my voice for a really good cause.” He said he’s lived in many places around the country and as a truck driver has traveled to many more. “I’ll find this one place where I really feel comfortable, where I can have a really good conversation with the cook or the waitress or even the patrons.”
For Pretzel, the Corner Grill was that place for him in Bowling Green. Before he would go perform at an open mic at Grumpy Dave’s, he’d have a meal at the Corner Grill. “It puts me a good place,” Pretzel said. “It had everything to put me in the zone.”
A conversation, or overheard comment, may cause something to click – maybe he’ll remember a joke written a few years ago. “I don’t want to say it’s a magical thing, but it kind of is.”
