Connie's Inn was a Harlem, New York City, nightclub established in 1923 by Connie Immerman (né Conrad Immerman; 1893–1967) in partnership with two of his brothers, George (1884–1944) and Louie Immerman (1882–1955). Having immigrated from Latvia, the Immerman brothers operated a Harlem delicatessen and made their fortune as bootleggers. Their club was located at 2221 Seventh Avenue at 131st Street in a basement from 1923 until 1934. Acts featured there included Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Wilbur Sweatman, Peg Leg Bates, Bricktop and Fletcher Henderson. Like the Cotton Club, Connie's Inn featured African-American performers but restricted its audience to whites only. Its steep cover charge of $2.50, its intimate atmosphere, and its ability to hire famous entertainers made the club unique among other New York clubs. Members of the Ziegfeld Follies, heiress Gertrude Vanderbilt, and numerous others poured in from downtown to enjoy the shows at Connie's Inn and were sometimes influential in moving their revues to Broadway. Connie Immerman was instrumental in the design and the promotion of the revues, including the famous Hot Chocolates revue.
no matches found