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35 Main Street
Westport, Connecticut MAP
Type: Dining & Entertainment
203-227-2711
Status: Closed
Open: 1970s, Close: Yes
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| “Mark's Place” was a jazz joint/nightclub/dance club in the 1970's. From what Mark told me: These were not poker/casino chips. He first opened the place as an alcohol free establishment that bombed. He went to the Westport Police Department to get a liquor license. They did not want to give him one as his establishment was on the 2nd floor and the police could not look through any windows from the street to see what was going on inside. A compromise was reached – he could have a bar, but it had to be a service bar only – no seats at the bar and no cash passing from a customer to the bartender. That's where the chips come in. Mark described it as basically “Each waitress was their own cash register.” Let's say you enter “Mark's”, sit down and order a beer. The waitress takes the order, accepts the cash, makes change, accepts tips, etc. She then walks up to the service bar and hands the bartender a chip (or chips) that equal the amount of the drink order. The bartender makes the drinks and puts the chips received in a designated pile for each individual waitress. At the end of the night, each waitress is responsible to “pay” for the chips in her pile. Anything extra in her stash are tips. |
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