By William Sokolic
In 1966, Big Al Troiano purchased Maynard’s Café, a burger and beer joint adjacent to Gables, his night club/restaurant/bowling alley/hotel at Amherst and Washington avenues in Margate.
He saw Maynard’s as a teardown so he could expand Gables, which he acquired in the 1950s. But something tugged at Troiano.
Philadelphia pro bantamweight Billy Maynard opened Maynard’s in the early 1900s. The original property lacked plumbing, and what passed as floors was little more than boards resting on sand like a very early version of a boardwalk.
Yet Maynard’s survived two world wars and prohibition, and eventually got real floors and plumbing. He thought maybe he should honor such longevity such staying power.
“I liked the oldtimers coming there, even got spillover when Gables was too crowded,” Al Troiano said back in the day.
In the end, Maynard’s remained; Gables did not.
Al sold it by 1968, says current owner and son Stephen Troiano. Today the site houses Tomatoes, one of many upscale restaurants now located along Amherst Avenue.
In its day, Gables was a focal point in what became known as the Barbary Coast, a moniker taken from a bawdry section of San Francisco during the gold rush, which suggested an anything goes attitude in the clubs and taverns. “Dad started the Barbary Coast,” Stephen says.
It went down Amherst to where Steve and Cookies by the Bay sits and included Jerry Blavat’s Memories (formerly the Elbo Room), The Beacon Inn, Merrel’s, Gilhooley’s, Maynard’s, Kelly’s Corner Bar, Gables, Omar’s, Polo Bay / Touche. In reality, the term Barbary Coast in Margate did not refer to bawdry behavior, but spoke to so many clubs in such a short space along the waterfront.
In those years, the Barbary Coast was a ghost of itself after Labor Day. The streets were dead. The people who owned or rented small bungalows during the summer returned to their year-round homes. The bowling alley at Gables served as one of the few leisure activities in which the small number of year-round people could partake, Stephen says. “We had lots of leagues in the day.”
Back to Maynard’s, Big Al, who died in 2003, added the Starlight Garden, an open-air portion of Maynard’s for dancing in 1993.
The lone survivor of the Barbary Coast establishments, Maynard’s Café, is holding its own as Amherst and surrounding streets go through a gentrification, transforming into upscale waterfront condos and restaurants.
Memories changed hands after the passing of Jerry Blavat. In addition to Tomatoes, restaurants include Steve and Cookies, Sophia’s, Betty’s Seafood Shack, among others. Most remain open year-round, thanks in part to the casino industry.
Come the late 1970s, casinos added a whole dimension to the experience on Absecon Island. The season did not close after Labor Day. “Initially casinos were good for us. They had early outs at 1 a.m.,” Stephen says. That meant workers would leave their jobs in Atlantic City and blew off steam in Margate until closing time at 4 a.m. But laws changed for Atlantic City. Casinos remained open 24/7 and eventually served alcohol 24/7.
A lot of staff left to work in the more lucrative casinos. But a lot tried it and didn’t like it, so they returned. “You grow with the times,” Stephen says. “Clubs closed at 4 a.m. We reopened at 8 in the morning. It was fine that we closed. We needed to clean up anyway.”
As the neighborhood attracted expensive condos, and the people that purchased them, along came noise complaints about the people walking from the café.
“People do not realize you buy these houses, you’ll hear noise,” Stephen says. “Legally you’re allowed to talk. We try and get along with neighbors. It’s only about 1 percent complaining. We all have that problem. Most customers take Ubers these days anyway, which is good.”
Maynard’s is family oriented when it comes to its staff. Some employees’ parents met there; two to three generations have worked there, both relatives of the Troiano family and non-related staff.
Stephen’s daughter, Stephanie Troiano, worked at Maynard’s since age 18. That was 23 years ago. She spent the last 12 years in management, running the café.
“It’s fun. I really enjoy seeing different generations come through and share their stories,” Stephanie says.
The COVID-19 pandemic was an issue, especially staffing. “For the past year it’s gotten a lot better,” says Stephanie, who taught phys ed for five years.
A lot of the staff works part time, as many as 50 on the weekends during the busy times. But the kitchen staff are full time.
Philadelphia sports teams help draw patrons who come to watch them on TV, Stephen says, particularly during playoff runs.
During the summer months, Maynard’s offers a variety of live music from local and regional performers, acoustic to classic rock, to alternative from Wednesday to Sunday. When the live music stops, a DJ steps in. In the off season, DJs work a couple nights a week, but special parties can include a band.
Maynard’s has also long supported local charities.
So, Maynard’s Café keeps on trucking to quote the 1960s vernacular. Of the burger and beer bars in Margate, the only ones left are Maynard’s and Roberts on Atlantic Avenue.
You won’t find Maynard’s throwing in the towel to a developer planning to build a half dozen condos.
“We have no intention of doing it,” Stephen says.
Maynard’s Café is located at 9306 Amherst Ave., Margate. For information, call 609-822-8423 or visit www.maynards-cafe.com
William Sokolic is a veteran journalist who has written for daily, weekly and monthly publications. He’s covered a wide range of news, features and entertainment stories. Much of his work concerns tourism, Atlantic City, and the gaming industry.
