City Gardens: Trenton's Lost Punk Rock Mecca

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The building seemed to sag against the Trenton sky, its walls leaning in a way that looked both tired and dangerous. I was driving, searching for a lunch spot after a morning spent exploring the city's industrial skeletons, when I saw it. A questionable choice, maybe, but curiosity is a powerful guide. I pulled over. Getting inside was one of the sketchiest entrances I’ve ever attempted. But once my feet were on the dusty floor, the danger faded. An enormous space stretched before me. It was sparse, cleaned out. My footsteps echoed where a stage once stood, a fact I’d later confirm in a NNKH YouTube video about the building’s past life as an underground punk club. The video showed a vibrant scene, an electric place. But the ghosts of that life were mostly gone. The long, rounded bar, where thousands of hands must have slapped down crumpled bills, had vanished. The dust-coated wine and shot glasses that once lined its shelves were gone, too. The club’s glittering crown jewel, a l...
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Former Conty's Drive-In (Salt & Pepper Restaurant)





Where the cuisine and customer service were lacking. Yelp reviews.

I came across this sad sight on my way to the nearby Seaside Park for sunset where I learned I needed a permit to enter the park. I made a furious U-turn and pulled alongside the defunct Indian cuisine restaurant. It seemed this halal restaurant did not function very well during its two-year tenure whilst it was opened (around 2009). The property sits at a two-way street intersection in a prime location for park-goers. This property was once slated for a high-rise development but as of now, no action has been taken to proceed to that goal. Currently zoned for office and retail use many hungry travelers pass by unperturbed by its vacant status. Not even the late-night hungry hoards of students at the University of Bridgeport could save it.

Before it was known as Salt & Pepper, this former place of business was originally known as Conty's drive-in. Built in 1961 and family-owned, it served burgers, seafood, and Italian dishes around the 60's and late 80's. The blue pillar festooned with the letter "C" and its unique architectural gull-wing style roof is all that remained of this former eatery. You can see it in its former glory here on Pinterest and also here. (Warning super small and low res.) You can see it in its defunct state with its marquee neon signage on Flickr's verplanck.



Current Status: Demolished


Coordinates:   41°10'0"N   73°11'10"W




Former Conty's Restaurant.









šŸ” Did You Eat at Conty's Drive-In?

Did you pull up to Conty's for burgers and shakes back in the day? Do you have photos from when the drive-in was still serving, old menus, matchbooks, or memories of this Connecticut roadside classic? Share your stories below.

Drop a comment below or contact me directly. Full credit given to all contributors.

šŸ” More Abandoned Connecticut Locations




Sources:
Location: 30 University Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604, USA

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