On line submissions for the Chez Paree

Submitted Stories
Would be pleased to hear from anyone who has information about Chez Paree. We will post your submissions here.

WOW! I have been trying to find information of this sort for right at one year. I have only a small piece to your puzzle, but you might at least find it interesting.

My father was born in 1916 in Chicago. In December of 1929 for Dad's 13th birthday, his divorced Mother (my Grandmother) took him to "Chez Paree" (or whatever the real title was). My understanding is that it was almost more of a brothel, but only high society customers!
            For her time, my Grandmother was extremely independent, and somewhat of a party animal! Anyway, when the Matre'd discovered it was his 13th birthday, he gave him a framed poster that had apparently been hanging in the restaurant. I inherited it from my father after his passing May7, 2003. As a little girl, I loved the picture, and still do. It is about 16X 20, and I have had it re-matted and framed. I made sure that the gallery that did the work for me, left the pencil signature (underneath the poster itself) visible. It says "Chez Pierre", and the poster was the work of Josef Pierre Nuyttens.
               It is a beautiful drawing of a girl (profile) dancing nearly nude, with beautiful flowing veils. The publishing date is 1916 by P. F. Volland Co. in Chicago. As a child, the picture always hung in my grandmother's room, and it reminds me of her. The lady in the drawing is so beautiful, and the rendering so lovely, I have been trying my best to find out about the author, and any other works.
             Consequently, I found a 'sister' vintage poster of sorts on ebay by Nuyttens, same publishing date and company, same subject, but this girl is facing forward, and dancing with a blue scarf. Mine is 'a wash' (for lack of a better term) in pink. My husband purchased it for me, and it is now enroute to my home in Birmingham, Alabama! The reason I was even looking for a vintage Nuyttens poster was for my sister. You see, I am the youngest of 5 children, and my oldest sister loved this picture every bit as much as I do. I would be thrilled to find a duplicate of it as a surprise gift. I feel BLESSED to have found the similar one on ebay, and maybe it will reveal more clues about the artist. However, I can't (so far) even find the title of these works. I would be delighted to know anything you can tell me about the restaurant, or the era, or the artist. Good luck in your search, and may God richly bless you.

Sincerely,

Janet Decker

Birmingham, Alabama

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07/25/2004

Sam,
During the 1940s my mother, Dell Owens, was a model in Chicago. She was sent on an assignment by her agency to model for the artist Joseph Pierre Nuyttens. My mother was very beautiful and Pierre became smitten with her. She told me that he was the original owner of the Chez Paree and that the club was called the Chez Pierre in the beginning.

They had a romantic affair and she frequented the club with Pierre often. We still have the beautiful
and large oil portrait that he painted for her in 1949. It now hangs in my home. She says that there is a photograph of Pierre and she that was taken within the club during that time also. He was a handsome, distinguished gentleman who liked to wear ascots. I can just picture him sketching the
beautiful dancers and wonder just how much of the artwork in the club was actually artwork that he had done. In my research of Pierre and his students, I have just recently acquired a Nuyttens watercolor of the south canal and bridges and was excited to find your site about the Chez.

I have been watching your site explode with information and thought that I might add another piece of the puzzle. If you are interested I could provide a photo of the beautiful portrait that Pierre created and also the picture of my mother and Pierre if I can find it. She mentioned that he was good friends with a Mr. Mc Donald of the Zenith radio corp. and that he was nicknamed "the commander" because he was a higher up in the service. McDonald, according to her, owned a radio station that made live broadcast from the Chez. Hope this information is useful in your research. Good luck and have fun!!!
Donna Lewis
daughter of Dell Owens

Donna: This notice was found in a 1932 Billboard. It verifies your mother's story.
THE BILLBOARD, Vol. XLIV, No. 44,- Oct0ber 29, 1932

Mike Fritzel To Open New Chi Night Club - CHICAGO, Oct. 22 - Mike J. Fritzel, for many years conspicuous in the cafe field here and formerly operator of the Arsonia and the Friar's Cafe, has leased the former quarters of the CHEZ PIERRE CAFE on the near North Side, for five years from January 1, 1933, for a total rental of $51,233.
Fritzel intends to open an elaborate night club on the premises. The work of remodeling has already started and the place will be done over in modernistic design at a reported cost of $35,000.
Fritzel's Friars' Inn was padlocked by the federal authorities in 1926, and his Arsonia Cafe met a similiar fate in 1928.

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Al Capone Again

PARIS, Jan. 21. - The Riviera resort town of Cannes has a new cabaret called Sing Sing, which is advertised as being run by AL CAPONE. A cheap night spot on the Montmartre joy belt of Paris recently opened - and shut - under the name Chez Scarface, operated by a scar-faced individual who exploited his tough appearance.

Out in the Open
Parks-Pools

Lace Swim Suits Are A.C. Vogue

     ATLANTIC CITY, Jan. 26. - Very revealing lace bathing suits for women and topless suits for males have become the vogue in the resort's smart indoor swimming pools, and city rulers are becoming uneasy about next summers beach attire problem.
     Last season Mayor Harry Bacharach ruled that women could wear as much or as little as they chose, within bounds of decency. He banned topless suits for males, so popular in Southern resorts this winter.
     Beach styles always have made their initial appearance in this resort's indoor pools, but a sensation came this week when a model appeared in Ambassador Hotel pool, attired in a lace creation.
     To complicate matters, Abe Luball, local authority on bathing suits, pools, etc., announced that lace suits will be the style here next summer. Mayor Bacharach must first view them before they go on the beaches. There are about 50 applications on hand for assistants in the