Picture Enfield - Then and Now

ENFIELD, CT — Today's installment of this weekly Enfield history series centers on an institution which lasted more than two decades in the Shaker Pines Lake area: the Hazard Villa bar and restaurant.

Richard and Gert West opened the Pines Restaurant at 276 North Maple Street in the early 1960s, and acquired a liquor license and added a bar area a few years later, changing the name to the Hazard Villa in the process.

The "Villa" attracted customers from throughout northern Connecticut and western Massachusetts. In fact, during the 1980s time period when Massachusetts raised its drinking age to 21 while Connecticut was still 18, the majority of cars in the Villa's parking lot bore license plates from the Bay State.

The Wests were very active in the community, sponsoring successful teams in the Enfield men's and women's softball leagues for many years. The 1984 women's team, pictured below, qualified for the Eastern Divisional Class B championship tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Jerry and June West sold the business in late 1985, and the building eventually was destroyed by fire on Oct. 17, 2000. The lot on which the structure stood has been vacant for many years, as evidenced by this recent photo from Google Maps.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question was, "Before moving to its current location at 167 Hazard Avenue in 1985, where in Enfield was The Growth Co. located?" The answer: inside the Enfield Square shopping mall, near the northeastern side if I recall correctly, near Steiger's. At the time, the Square was noted for its fountains, its streetlight posts, and actually having customers.

This week's trivia question:
In the early 1980s, what was the name of the dining room in the rear section of the Hazard Villa where terrific prime rib and Sunday brunch were served? Post the answer in the comments section below, or on the Enfield Patch Facebook page.