Commercial House - 297 W Armitage Street

Once a tavern popular with students and residents, the present owner has turned it into a dance hall with live jazz bands. As often as possible, the club books the Easttown Five, a black band, or settles for the Arkham Swingtime Band, a student band from the university. If you don’t like to dance, don’t come. Admission is $1.50 per couple, refreshments extra. As recently ruled by the police, single men and women are not admitted; frequently they meet outside and form temporary couples to evade the restriction. Open Friday-Saturday only, 7 P.M. to midnight, when the police make sure they close.

It’s a rare Saturday night at the Commercial House that police don’t arrest someone for disorderly conduct, throwing rocks, mopery, or worse.