Fated for Food
It seemed only natural that Peter and Michael would see the building and envision a restaurant. Peter’s uncle, Bill Pappas and father, John Pappas owned and operated the premier dining and dancing night club in Western Massachusetts for over 25 years, from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. They sold the business and property (100+ acres at the Chicopee exit to the Massachusetts Turnpike) to a medical group that founded and built Medical West, an HMO Group operating under the name Riverbend.
The Club, called the Red Barn, was the center of leading entertainment in Western Massachusetts. Many famous entertainers of the era preformed at The Red Barn, including Al Martino, Norm Crosby, Robert Goulet, Rodney Dangerfield, Milton Berle, Henny Youngman, Totie Fields, Dick Haymes, Jack Jones, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Durante, Don Cornell, Vaughn Monroe, Kay Starr, Jimmy Roselli, Harmonica Rascals, Guy Marks, and Earl Flynn’s girlfriend Beverly Adler. Many political and sports figures frequented and held large political events at the Red Barn, including Speaker of the House John Thompson, Congressmen Edward Boland, the Chairmen of the House of Appropriations Committee at the time, and Boston Celtics basketball great Bob Cousy, as well as local mayors and judges.
The club seated approximately 2000 guests with indoor dining and dancing and two large outside pavilions on the site, each with their own cooking and bar facilities. The Red Barn was famous for their “plank steaks”. Personnel from Westover Air Force Base, a large active military base for B-52’s bombers for the Korean and Vietnam Wars, frequented the club. Peter has met people all over the country that have fond memories of the experience they had at the Red Barn and many that met their spouses and had their wedding receptions there.
Michael’s family had the restaurant bug was well. Established in 1938 after Prohibition, The Hollywood Café was a meeting place for many Springfield residents with diverse backgrounds and cultures. Named after the “Hollywood Section” of Springfield’s South End, The Hollywood Café was truly a family-run establishment. Celia Spagnoli, married to James Langone, with two children, Candy and James Jr., partnered with brother-in-law Joseph to run the establishment in 1948.
One year later, Celia’s beloved husband James died suddenly. Celia married Salvatore Spagnoli three years later and “Sam” Spagnoli became owner and operator of the Hollywood Café. With Sam behind the bar and Ciel cooking food at lunch, The Hollywood was in its prime, becoming the meeting place in Springfield. The Hollywood Café offered its customers homemade Italian food with its famous meatball “grinders” and Pasta Fagiola Fridays. Sam’s late brother Joseph Spagnoli, his sons James Langone Jr., and Dr. Michael Spagnoli all joined together in the running of the Hollywood.
Sadly, the Hollywood Cafe was taken by eminent domain in 1987 by the city of Springfield. Sam and Celia's four children, James Jr., Candy, Teresa and Michael, removed the Hollywood Cafe sign from the building in 1993. Dr. Michael Spagnoli will appropriately install it at Onyx located at River’s Landing.
Giving Our Project The "Green" Light
- over 82% of all construction demolition was recycled, this was over 500 tons.
- area first waterless urinals from Kohler.
- bio-retention pond for rain water collected on roof. Rain water is returned and naturally filtered to water table directly, without taxi to the sewer treatment plant.
- water saving and automatic toilets and facets.
- energy efficient new dual panels windows with high efficiency bronze film.
- energy star ultra high efficient water, dishwashing and natural gas heating systems
- LED low energy consumption technology for exterior signage
- beautiful and renewable bamboo wood flooring
- natural wood table tops with no table linens
