One of the images that energized Hit Parade as a project early on was this photo from 1970/1971. Three men are shown inside Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco. Oscar, the man seated in the middle, was a music promoter in the city and was the one to donate this photo to SFPL’s collection.

Located on Columbus Avenue in San Francisco’s North Beach district, Bimbo’s 365 Club opened in 1931 and has been something of a local institution since then. The club, opened by Agostino Giuntoli (whose nickname was Bimbo) and Monk Young, was originally located at 365 Market Street and moved to its current location on Columbus in 1951. Regardless of address, though, Bimbo’s popularity never waned. Over the years, it saw a steady stream of musicians, performers, comedians, gamblers and chorus girls. Of its many attractions, the club was known for its “girl in the fishbowl” act, which, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, “allowed patrons a glimpse of a shapely dancer writhing on a black velvet couch a floor below the lobby of the nightclub. A system of mirrors reduced the woman to a tiny size and made it seem as if she were swimming in air.”

Here are a few photos that serve as just a small sample of the performances that took place at Bimbo’s: (left) undated – patrons watching the “girl in the fishbowl” act; (middle) 1943 – chorus girls in a dressing room; (right) 1960s – hair show, featuring Jose (the proprietor of the hair show), Francis (the “queen” of the show), and Tonida.

[Photos courtesy of SFPL Historical Photo Collection]