Leo Regis Roy
1900 - 1989
Restaurant Business
In July 1935 Leo Roy gets a license for a restaurant to operate at the rear of 970 Post Road, Norwood, Rhode Island. The license was transferred from the Wayside Inn that was located at 1406 Post Road.
The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday, July 6, 1935 page 19
In the 1930 Census Leo and his wife live with his father at 970 Apponaug Road. Is this the same address as 970 Post Road? Leo is a farmer working at a truck farm. Also working there are his father Alfred and brothers Napoleon and Louis. Brother Eugene is an athlete working in the boxing industry.
Almost two years after obtaining the licenses, the Alpine Village Hofbrau opens at that address. A hofbrau is a German-style restaurant or tavern.
The Providence Sunday Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Sunday, June 27, 1937 page 13
The advertisement for the grand opening lists the address with the location found at the continuation of Elmwood Ave. Today the continuation of Elmwood Avenue is the Post Road. This looks like the address where Leo and his family lived in the 1930 census. In the 1940 census they live at 1380 Post Road.
The Alpine Village Hofbrau closes sometime in November 1937. It was only open for about five months.
On Friday night, January 14, 1938 a private strip-tease show was held. The police noticed all the cars at the closed Hofbrau and investigated. Forty-two men were questioned and they all stated they paid a dollar for admittance, there were two strip-tease girls, an orchestra and beer and liquor were sold.
After that incident the Alpine Village Hofbrau lost its license to operate as a restaurant.
Josef Wagner applied for a license to operate a restaurant at 970 Post Road a few months after the hofbrau lost its license. The name is the Norwood Hofbrau. It opens on May 25, 1938.
The Providence Sunday Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Sunday, May 22, 1938, page 40
A little over a year after opening, the Norwood Hofbraus has a rathskeller. This is a german word for a bar or restaurant located in the basement.
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, September 22, 1939 page 37
Josef Wagner, who has the license to operate the Norwood Hofbrau, was from Bavaria, Germany. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States. World War II started in late 1939. There were many people at that time who were against Germany and the Nazis.
On Wednesday, May 22, 1940 more than 200 German-speaking persons gathered at the Norwood Hofbrau. They raised money for wounded Nazi soldiers, sang German songs and gave the Nazi salute. A film was shown showing Hitler and the German army that drew heavy applause.
The next day Josef Wagner was summoned to appear before the Warwick Board of Police Commissioners. His license to operate the Norwood Hofbrau was suspended for one week.
The next mention of Josef Wagner in the newspaper is August 1, 1940. His is doing business as the Norwood Country Club. He is part of a lawsuit for playing music for profit without a license.
The Norwood Country Club advertises in the newspaper on September 14, 1940.
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday, September 14, 1940, page 27
Leo Roy lists his address as 970 Post Road (same as the Norwood Country Club) when filing paperwork as an alternate for delegate for the congressional district convention for the First Democratic Representative district. This appeared in the September 8, 1940 issue of the newspaper. In the 1940 census Leo and his family’s address is 1380 Post Road.
The following year the Norwood Country Club opens a main dining room.
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday, March 15, 1941, page25
The Norwood Country Club was open for five years. In the early morning hours of Sunday, August 19, 1945, a fire started in the kitchen. It spread to the second and third floors.
It took five Warwick fire companies to control the blaze. The fire was probably burning for two hours before a neighbor saw it at 3:50 a.m.
The fire completely gutted the interior of the kitchen. The flames traveled up two flights of stairs as well as the dumbwaiter shaft. The banquet halls on the second and third floors were damaged. The building was not a total loss and may be repaired.
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Monday, August 20, 1945, page 16
The building was located in a large lot behind the home of the owner, Leo Roy of 1380 Post Road. It was constructed in 1935. That was the year Leo Roy obtained a license to operate a restaurant.
Leo Roy stated that the building represented a large part of his life savings. He estimated the building was worth $20,000 and he did not carry any fire insurance for the building.
Josef Wagner lived in a small cottage at the rear of the night club. He said he had put out the fires in the cooking stoves at 11:30 p.m. Saturday and there was no evidence of fire when he checked the premises at 1:30 a.m. Sunday. He valued his fixtures, liquor and wines at $16,000. He only had insurance for $1,000.
A few months after the fire, Josef Wagner applied to operate a restaurant and café on Occupasstuxet Road (currently this road is called Airport Road). This request was denied since there were other establishments serving liquor in this area and a building that Wagner proposes might interfere with future plans for the airport.
Josef Wagner received a license to operate a restaurant at the Norwood Country Club in December 1945 with the provision that the building get an approval following remodeling.
In April 1946 a permit was issued to create a dining establishment with a bar to replace the Norwood Country Club at 1380 Post Road. The address has changed from 970 Post Road to the address of Leo Roy’s home. Josef Wagner will be the proprietor.
In the summer of 1946 Leo Roy got a zoning exception to make a 30’ x 40’ addition for an open air terrace to the present café located at 1380 Post Road.
Later in 1946 Josef Wagner applied for license to operate a restaurant in the rear of 1380 Post Road. It is called Joe’s Tavern.
Joe’s Tavern operates for about 10 years. In February 1957 the operating license is suspended for serving minors. The minors had fake identification cards. Josef Wagner was not on the premises on the night in question. He said he might as well forget about the whole business and never open again.
In March of 1957, one month after the license was suspended, the license is placed in name of Josef Wagner and his wife Alice.
The following year the establishment is called the Little Hofbrau. Josef Wagner and his wife live at 386 Maple Street which is basically across the street from 1380 Post Road.
In 1955 the Norwood Industrial Center is created and a building for NatCo Products Co is constructed at 1400 Post Road. They make rubber matting beach and flight bags. By 1960 Nyanza Department Store takes over the building and opens in 1961.
In 1962 Nyanza wants to erect an addition to its existing retail outlet. Part of the zoning petition include Alfred P. Roy (Leo’s son) of 1380 Post Road and Josef Wagner of 1390 Post Road. Nyanza is located at 1400 Post Road.
The plans will relocate the street that serves as an entrance to the store parking lot and extend the street to serve a residential area. A house at the corner of the street will be taken down and the store parking lot expanded. Could this be Leo Roy’s house at 1380 Post Road?
In 1963 Leo Roy builds a new home at 3871 Post Road. Also in 1963 Leo's son Alfred builds a house at 12 Westcott Road, Scituate, Rhode Island.
Josef Wagner and his wife Alice continue to operate the Little Hofbrau in the rear of 1380 Post Road.
Josef Wagner dies January 2, 1968. His wife Alice continues to operate the Little Hofbrau until she decides to retire in 1976. The Little Hofbrau was in operation for almost 18 years.
In 1976 the license to operate a restaurant is transferred to James Lamphere. He operated it as the Village Tavern at 1380 Post Road for about a year. The following year he requests the license be transferred to operate a night club down the road called the Lampliter II.
Nyanza filed for bankruptcy on May 1, 1975. The store in Warwick closed August 31, 1975. In December 1975 it is announced that a shopping mall with 150 specialty shops will open in the former department store building. It is called the Village Mall. It was only open for eight months. Then the location became a flea market for a few months.
Monet Jewelers took over the building to make costume jewelry in 1977. They stayed until about 1995 when the building was listed for sale. By 1998 it is a Kia car dealership.
Located today at 1400 and 1380 Post Road are car dealerships – Balise Chevrolet, Balise Nissan and Balise Toyota. Balise Chevrolet was Norwood Motors in the 1930s located in the same place.
Sources
“150-shop mall due in Former Nyanza store”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Wednesday, December 10, 1975, page 72
“38 New Dwellings Swell Volume of Building Work”, The Providence Sunday Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Sunday, April 14, 1946, page 62
3871 Post Road, Warwick, Rhode Island, property record, https://gis.vgsi.com/warwickri/Parcel.aspx?Pid=8447
“Blaze Damages Norwood Club”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Monday, August 20, 1945, page 22
“Exam by Court Doctor Ordered”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Thursday, August 1, 1940, page 37
“Group Applauds Nazi War Film at Warwick Meeting”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Thursday, May 23,1940, page 13
“Holdup Man Beats Caretaker at Inn”, The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Monday, December 8, 1933, page 19
“Joe’s Tavern Draws 17-Day Suspension”, The Evening Bulleting, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday, February 9, 1957, page 2
“Josef Wagner to Face Board”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, May 24, 1940, page 32
“License Revoked”, The Providence Sunday Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Sunday, January 16, 1938 page 19
“Lone Democratic Slate is Filed”, The Providence Sunday Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Sunday, September 8, 1940, page 4
“Norwood Center Plant Hustled”, The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, December 2, 1955, page 27
“Norwood Country Club is Destroyed by Blaze”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Monday, August 20, 1945, page 16
“Nyanza expands store closures”, The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Tuesday, August 19, 1975, page 17
“Oakland Beach Group Opposes Mayette Petition”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Thursday, October 11, 1945, page 3
“Providence firm may buy land at bankrupt mall”, The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Thursday, May 26, 1977, page 19
“Says Bund Pair Backed Nazi Show”, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Wednesday, May 29, 1940, page 24
“Strip-Tease” Girls Perform as Warwick Police Cool Off, The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday Jan 15, 1938 page 1and page 2
“Village Mall to close; flea market eyed”, The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Tuesday, January 4, 1977, page 58
“Woonsocket Retail Concern Leases Warwick Building”, The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Thursday, November 24, 1960, page 3
1930 United States Federal Census, Census Place: Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0012; FHL microfilm: 2341903, Alfred P Roy head
1940 United States Federal Census, Census Place: Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island; Roll: m-t0627-03758; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 2-20, Dora Roy head
Providence-Journal-Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Thursday, April 16, 1998, page 13
The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, June 22, 1962, page 49
The Evening Bulletin Tuesday May 29, 1962 page 3
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, July 2, 1976, page 11
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday, September 14, 1940, page 27
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Thursday, March 14, 1957, page 50
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, June 16, 1961, page 14
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, September 22, 1939 page 37
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Monday, June 25, 1962, page 3
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Monday, November 17, 1958, page 34
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday, March 15, 1941, page 25
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Tuesday, October 29, 1946, page 3
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Tuesday, September 1, 1964, page 3
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Wednesday, March 18, 1942, page 25
The Evening Bulletin, Providence, Rhode Island, Wednesday, March 8, 1961
The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday, July 6, 1935 page 19
The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Friday, April 22, 1938, page 28
The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Tuesday, December 11, 1945, page 2
The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Tuesday, July 2, 1946, page 4
The Providence Sunday Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Sunday, June 27, 1937 page 13
The Providence Sunday Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Sunday, May 22, 1938, page 40
The Providence Sunday Journal, Sunday, June 18, 1995, page 89
Wagner, Alice E. obituary, The Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, Monday April 3, 1989, page 5
Wagner, Josef obituary, The Evening Bulletin , Providence, Rhode Island, Tuesday, January 2, 1968, page 24
Zillow.com, 12 Westcott Road, Scituate, Rhode Island, https://www.zillow.com/homes/12-Westcott-Rd-Scituate,-RI-02857_rb/65833424_zpid/