Iconic Café at Adele’s sign stays in family, finds new home at Js’ Old Town Bistro in Dayton
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Tue, 12/03/2019 - 8:48am
The familiar neon “BAR” sign that welcomed diners to the well-known Café at Adele’s restaurant in Carson City for decades, has been removed, but it didn’t stay dark long. It’s red neon glow now welcomes diners to Js’ Old Town Bistro in Dayton.
Café at Adele’s chef and owner Charlie Abowd wanted to keep the sign in the family and since he and Js’ co-owner Jerry Massad are cousins, it seemed like the perfect location. “It was really hard to see the sign go” said Charlie Abowd. “But at least my wife Karen and I know it’s staying in the family.’’
“I’m honored to be the keeper of the well-known sign” Massad said, adding “Ironically my first job I Carson City was bartending at Adele’s. I know many people were interested in the sign, but we’ll give it a a good home at Js’. Our customers are already commenting on it and love it!”
Café at Adele’s’ was forced to close permanently after a fire heavily damaged the building back in March.
The neon sign was originally added to the building in the 1960s by then owner Bill Potter. It was known as the Music Box at the time and housed both a bar and antiques store.
Paul and Adele Abowd bought the building and opened Adele’s in 1977, their son Charlie and wife Karen took over the restaurant in 1995; they renamed the establishment “Café at Adele’s” in 2015.
For more than four decades the restaurant was a landmark in Carson City for both locals and visitors alike, and served as a popular gathering spot for politicians, lobbyists and journalists during Nevada legislative sessions.
Abowd says removing the sign is part of moving on from the fire.
"Taking the sign down is like finishing one of the last chapters of this book, Karen and I are focusing on and excited for the future and what comes next,” said Charlie Abowd.
“There’s a lot of legacy behind that sign,” Massad said. “But we are excited to be part of what Paul and Adele started and Charlie and Karen continued and built upon, it’s a wonderful family endorsement."
At some point in the future, when Massad is no longer associated with Js’, the sign will be donated to Nevada Neon Museum in Las Vegas.
