Charlie’s Club

Charlie’s Club (1942-1972), 2049 Mead Street, was supposed to have been the first place in Racine to serve pizza. I started doing research on Charlie’s Club and found these amazing pictures by Matt Binetti. If someone ever made a book about the Italian immigrants who settled in Lakeside, near Mead Street and Racine Street, I would buy it instantly.

Update, 11/27/2016: According to newspaperarchive.com, Nilo’s on 16th Street started advertising pizza in 1947, and Charley’s Club started advertising pizza in 1948.

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From left to right: unknown, Frank Casciaro, unknown

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Nick & Edith Binetti’s wedding party; photo taken outside of Charles’ Tavern. Nick and Edith (Christiano) Benetti were married on February 14, 1942.

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Charlie's Club advertisement from 1954 Racine phonebook

Charlie’s Club advertisement from 1954 Racine phonebook

Charlie's Club "13", Racine Journal Times, 6/27/1941

Charlie’s Club “13”, Racine Journal Times, 6/27/1941

Charlies Club on Mead Street … looks like date on photo says March 1970

Charlie's Club
2049 Mead St. Racine, Wis.
Good for 25¢ in trade
Charlie’s Club token from Doug Chaussee
Charlie’s Club, June 1969 from Doug Chaussee

4 thoughts on “Charlie’s Club

  1. I can still remember having a cheese pizza on a Friday night after the CYO dance. It was either at Charley.s or a Hamburger or two at Wimpey’s. It’s hard to forget places like these.-The Best of times were spent there.

  2. Am I remembering correctly that there was a side entrance, sort of a porch, where you picked up pizza to go? This would have been in the 50s.

  3. My family had Houmann&Son’s Fishmarket when it was a family fish market. I can remember delivering fish —late on Friday nights with my Dad to the 1970 picture. Houmann’s often delivered late Fridays to taverns running out of fish for their fishfrys.

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