These doors first swung open in 1956 and have been welcoming people with open arms ever since. This week, Patch's heads to The Swingin' Door where they say consistency is the secret to their success.
Here are some more fun facts from The Swingin' Door's website:
1. Built in the 1940s, the Kehoe building was converted by the Fey Brothers (whose grandfather invented the slot machine) to a bar in December 1955. Named the Swingin' Door, there were two swinging doors at the entrance. The price for a 12 oz. mug of beer was 20 cents!
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2. Early 1956 saw World War II pinup girl Betty Grable and bandleader Harry James frequent the bar. They had horses running at Bay Meadows at the time.
3. The upstairs dance floor was installed in 1956 to accommodate a dance school which lasted for several years.
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4. A young and struggling group named the Kingston Trio played upstairs in 1957.
5. The usual tranquility of the bar room was momentarily disturbed when a tear gas bomb was lobbed into the bar in 1958.
6. Famous jockey Willie Shoemaker dropped in during the 1958 racing season.
7. A seatbelt was installed on the pillar near the bar for those who wanted to "buckle-up" before driving.
8. Hugh Courtney hung the first bristle dartboard in the bar in 1963 and the following year the first All-Star match was played here between San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles Area dart teams.
9. A go-go dancer did her thing in 1964 while patrons talked about Carol Doda, the Beatles, and Vietnam.
10. Later in 1964, actor Ronald Reagan bought the bar a round in his hunt for political office.
11. Longtime regular Ash White treated newly elected Congressman Pete McClosky to a drink after the 1964 elections.
12. The present bird of paradise "tree" was planted by Len Titus in 1966 when it was 18 inches tall. Now it is the tallest in Northern California.
13. All through these years the bar underwent many changes and many owners. Always a beer bar, beer drinkers of repute (Carl, Joe, Wolf, Auggie, Len, Ralph, Ash, Hugh, Red, Jake, Helen, Harry, Stan, Toots, Hubbard, Mike, etc,.) have been familiar faces on both sides of the taps. Keeping the action hot on the dartboards has been darters (Hugh, Ralph, Trevor, Al, Terry, Walt, Parker, Phil, Dereck, Brian, etc.) of great and not-so-great repute.
14. Around 1969, an irate person delivered a gunshot from the street through the front door and into the end of the bar. Fortunately, the bar was closed.
15. Shut down for several months, the bar was reopened in 1971 by Ken Gilley as the Prince of Wales, with the present British decor.
16. Popping in and out through 1970–1973 was the famous crooner, Bing Crosby, as he would quietly sip a beer at the kitchen end of the bar. During this time the fantastic Windsor Burger and delicious Fish & Chips were starting to gain local fame.
