The History of the Torch Club in Youngstown, Ohio

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Another piece of Youngstown history was lost in a fire this past weekend. It was once a vibrant and unique place that hosted world-famous acts in another era.

Built in 1936, the Torch Club was an important part of Youngstown’s history, albeit under a different name: Club Merry-Go-Round.

Historian and author Sean Posey owns a 1947 souvenir program card from the Merry-Go-Round club. It shows 30 popular drinks and how to make them. The back of the two-page card lists 35 artists scheduled to perform at the club, including Ella Fitzgerald and the King Cole Trio.

“And it was part of a really vibrant neighborhood club scene during World War II,” Posey said.

Many people remember the rotating bar, a unique feature. The club was cozy, with a dining area and a seashell-backed stage. It was a place where the biggest acts performed while traveling between New York and Chicago.

“Today, it would be like Beyoncé came and I don’t know if she would play in one of the small venues here in town,” Posey said. “Because we were halfway between New York and Chicago and halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, all these big national acts, the biggest acts you could name at the time, came here and played, and people could come and watch at very reasonable prices.”

Ella Fitzgerald played at the club several times, including for several nights in 1947. She married Ray Brown, a musician in the Dizzy Gillespie Band.

“And they got married here in Youngstown,” Posey said. “They still have the marriage license. They drove to the Central Tower and downtown and got married.”

The Merry-Go-Round eventually became the Torch Club: a return to its roots, as Posey believes the owner must have known the building’s history. The building that was destroyed in a fire on Saturday has already been demolished. While it may be overshadowed by the demolition of the Realty Tower, Posey wants others to remember the building’s history.

“Because there’s probably a lot of people who have passed by there and never knew that,” Posey said. “Nat King Cole played there, you know, a long, long time ago.”

Posey said he believed the vibrancy of the Club Merry-Go-Round, the Ritz Bar and Tavern, the Cotton Club and the Torch Club were all testaments to the spark that existed in the city during the heyday of the steel era.