Joseph J. Accardi

Beloit's Club Pop House (Images of America: Wisconsin) Joseph J. Accardi

For baby boomers who grew up in and around Beloit, memories of that era would not be complete without the Pop House. To high school students, this teen nightclub was a weekend music mecca. Friday and Saturday nights were reserved for dancing and listening to live music provided by countless bands

and solo acts. Owner George Stankewitz, born and raised in Beloit, became friend, father figure, and even boss to hundreds of area teenagers. From swing to pop to rock, notable acts to take the stage at the Pop House between 1946 and 1973 include such jukebox staples as Bobby Vinton, Johnny Tillotson, and Del Shannon, along with a tidal wave of Beatles-inspired local favorites. Summer softball leagues and championship basketball teams are recalled as well as the annual Turkey Bowl that continues to this day. And who can forget the annual chili festival with the crowning of a chili queen or a menu famous for its specialty sandwiches like the Snead and the Smiley?