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Side Door up for auction July 12

One of Salem’s more famous, or “notorious” businesses, as owner Tonia Gerber says, the Side Door will go under the auction gavel July 12. For decades, Salem night club life was focused on the “Old Side Door” which is also known as the Powerhouse Cafe. Gerber is shown with longtime employee Dwain Kale as the business prepares to sell everything. (Salem News photo by Larry Shields)

SALEM — It’s as tenured and iconic as the “Est. 1920” sign says and when the Side Door goes on the absolute auction block at high noon on July 12, the buyer will get a piece of Salem history.

The renowned tavern and restaurant at 530 S. Broadway Ave. includes the main two-story building that includes an upstairs apartment over the night club and a next door warehouse at 508 S. Broadway Ave.

Tonia Gerber has owned the business for 40 years, since her deceased husband, Gerb, and a family partnership including her brother, Jim and his first wife, bought it in 1979.

Gerber said everything goes, the tavern, the entire premises, lock, stock and barrel except for the nine employees who “are all staying.”

Recent upgrades including a new furnace, air conditioning, deep fryer, freezer and many other operational necessities since 2015 total well over $50,000, she estimated.

“Everything works, is up to date, up to codes, and will be signed, sealed and delivered as is,” she said, noting that the D-5 liquor license, all the food and liquor will be sold separately.

The auction can be viewed at the Kiko Auction site: www.kikoauctions.com/?nav=auctions where the business is described as a “successful established business, dba the Powerhouse Cafe & Bar and formerly known as the Side Door.

Also for sale will be large lighted beer signs and bar advertising collectibles that will be sold separately.

Dwain Kale, a longtime employee of the Side Door, said there are hundreds of items from old shot glasses to “tons of Side Door memorabilia.”

Gerber said she has 50 old-style vinyl balloons, tap handles still in the boxes by the dozens, 50+ old beer signs “still in the boxes” and about as much neon as your eyes can stand.

Tavern-style decor and imagery has always been designed to be eye-catching.

Gerber said the warehouse next door housed the old Kauffman Bros. grocery store and it still has the original tin ceiling and a hand-operated main floor to basement elevator that still functions.

The upstairs two-bedroom apartment over the main tavern includes a large utility room and the current tenant has resided there for 17 years, she said.

Gerber stayed away from the business from 2009 when she sold it until October of 2014 to care for Gerb when he was battling a stroke and cancer.

She took the tavern back in 2015.

She says that in getting it back, “I bought myself a job. I’ve been here 45 years and it’s time for me to retire.”

She also says, with some real satisfaction, that she tripled the business since.

“Easily,” she said, noting a very healthy pool league, bike nights every other Friday night (that started years ago with Rolling Thunder), live entertainment and even a non-denominational ministry by Rev. Stacey Davidson of Salem every other Sunday from 12:15-1 p.m. keep things going.

The Side Door housed a mission house many years ago, Gerber said, so the ministry is nothing new.

Some things not on the auction block are tons of memories and layers of tenured stories.

She also recalled older days when customers drove up the tavern on snowmobiles, 4-wheelers and tractors.

“Today they would go to jail,” she said.

Gerber noted employees like Carol Ford, Connie Fisher, Mel Mercer, Shawn Plegge and Kale, have been through it all.

She said, “Dwain Kale, I don’t know when he started or when, if ever, he will quit.”

“I’ve been lucky,” she said.

Kale said, “Through here are a lot, a lot, a lot of good memories.”

Gerber said, “I love the people here.”

For more about the Side Door/Powerhouse Cafe visit: www.facebook.com/TheOldSideDoor/

lshields@salemnews.net

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