1122 Fair Avenue Club

In 1962, the membership decided to purchase their own clubhouse, locating the Fair Avenue facility through a real estate listing. The property was originally built as the McKinley School in 1911 as part of the Franklin School District, established in 1886. The school was built to serve the children of local fruit growers, as well as the few farmers in the area. In the 1920’s, it was on one of the routes used by the Garden City Wheelmen as a bicycle racing course from Story Road to McLaughlin, down Fair Avenue to Lucretia ending on Keyes Road. At the time of purchase, it was owned by the Golden Rule Church Association in Bolinas, with an asking price of $45,000. An offer of $40,000 was grudgingly accepted, with $10,000 down and the church carrying $30,000 at 6 and 1/2 percent interest. Four payments of $261.40 were made from October 1962 to January 1963, when the loan was refinanced through Wells Fargo Bank. The church wanted their money, so the Club applied to the bank but was told that all members with jobs and property would have to sign for the loan. One of the members knew Joseph George, owner of Joseph George Liquor Distributing Co., and when Joseph heard of this, he called the loan manager at the bank, suggesting the loan be approved. When the manager replied “They’re nothing but a bunch of drunks”, Joseph suggested that it would be an easy matter to transfer all his banking business elsewhere. The loan was approved immediately.

The excitement of owning their own clubhouse ran high among the members, spurring many to spend long hours in revamping and refurbishing the place, always cheered on by a steady stream of onlookers coming for their first look-see or returning for periodic progress checks. Anxieties built up waiting for the great moment, until the decision was made, “Let’s do it!” It was a Saturday, October 20th, and the initiation of the Club was to be the eight o’clock meeting of the Alano Family Group. Last minute details found volunteers still scrambling while managers Glenn and Thelma G. made ready as best they could. Secretary Joe C. opened and Chairman Sam B. led the largest meeting of the year for that Group as 110 AA’s listened and shared in the topic “AA Participation”. The largest collection of the year, $26.00, still left the Group $26.60 in the hole, but the inauguration was complete. Less than a month later, Dr. Earle spoke at the first Club dinner on November 17th, 1962. The Club was open for business.

The new place quickly became the center of Valley AA activity, continuing to support AA Inter-Group and Hospital &Institution meetings, adding other specialized meetings, including being host to the NCC Summer Meeting in July of 1963. A small room off the entrance lobby became the local AA library, offering Big Books, Twelve by Twelve’s and assorted AA literature. Shortly after opening, several AA’s began an attempt to bring about a closer feeling of unity among the increasing number of Groups in the County, and in March of 1963, SCAN (Santa Clara Alcoholic News) made its appearance, issued from the Club using the library as an editor’s office. That lasted until July 15th when the first real Central Office was opened downtown in Room 208 of the Porter Building at 57 E. Santa Clara St. The Club continued to serve as the main meeting place for Inter-Group and most other special committees and groups. Another small room across the entry stairs from the library became home for a night watchman after a few attempted burglaries made it an obvious necessity.

General improvements continued to be made, including a barbecue in the back and a pool room in 1966, but membership shrank to less than half the over 300 mark reached on opening day. Glenn and Thelma retired in December 1965, being replaced by Ralph A. and assistant Lee L. The five men Board of Directors became engrossed in trying to find ways to promote the Club. The 1965 General membership meeting almost exclusively dealt with ways to gain new members, including inviting people to the Club, paying one month’s dues for new members, courtesy cards with maps on the back, contacting members who had dropped out, and a concentrated membership drive. It was decided to hold quarterly membership meetings, and the final note was “Circulate and Talk Alano Club!” The struggle continued, and at a special Board Meeting on May 15, 1967, the decision was made to lay off Manager, Ralph, as of June 1. They couldn’t pay the $400 a month salary.

Even though membership dropped, those that stayed with the Club enjoyed many festivities. Regular dances with live bands, beauty pageants, fashion shows and bingo populated the rooms. White Elephant sales were combined with socials for fund raising. Raffles were popular over the years, prizes including a color TV, Niagara Lounge Chair, and one year, a brand new car.

Parking was a problem, so a wooden water tank and pump house to the side had to go. Gravel was donated, which helped, but the obvious solution was more land. About a quarter acre by the Club was owned by the church next door, and was available for $11,000. Mortgage payments continued at $261.40 until August of 1965 when it was refinanced in order to purchase the additional land next to the Club, payments then going to $300 a month. That loan was paid in full in May of 1977, less than fifteen years after moving in. Later that year, Wells Fargo provided a loan to pave the parking lot, this time without the need to be convinced by anything other than that the Club had demonstrated its ability to stand on its own two feet. The changes made throughout the years have been many, much of the work being completed by donated material and volunteer effort. In other cases, members of various professions have been paid for their work. Regardless, there is no nook or cranny here which has not been touched in some way or other by a sober alcoholic either being or striving to be a “Part Of”.

The Twelve Steps painted by artist in Los Angeles are the same Twelve Steps that survived the Almaden Avenue clubhouse are the same ones that hang in Duncan Hall at the Fair Avenue Fellowship today.

The sixties brought a lot of changes not only in the Club, but in society, as well. Membership had dropped significantly, prompting many attempts to perk things up. Committees were formed for almost anything, at one point even committees to oversee the other committees. It got so desperate that outside advertising was solicited for the Club newsletter. The newly expanded parking lot became known as Lake Alano, at one point causing a lawsuit to be filed by a nearby landowner. The Club won the suit, but Lake Alano required periodic draining.

Society at large experienced a major increase in drug use, and as users became abusers, many looked to AA for help. Meetings at the Club began to change as addicts started talking about their problem, often in street language that became annoying to members who viewed their Club as a sanctuary. To be sure, foul language had periodically come under fire, including signs posted and warnings given at board meetings, but this new influx that showed little regard for the sensitivities of others was a bit too much for many.

At an August 1970 Board Meeting, a letter was sent to New York requesting advice on addicts in AA meetings. The September membership meeting addressed the problem, noting that the by-laws stated the Club was for alcoholics, but conceded to allow one meeting a week for addicts. The problem hit AA all over the Valley, prompting a special note read before the definition of AA requesting that only alcohol and related problems be discussed. The problem grew and one Club member resigned in January 1973 because he felt addicts should have a chance to get clean in AA.

Card games, a mainstay of Club activities since the first Club opened also came under fire. Many of the younger people coming in didn’t join the Club, but played cards often winning. Some older members felt there was foul play, and in fact, there seemed to be a general lack of courtesy flowing throughout the Club. A struggle began that lasted several years. The older members, who had built the Club up, although there had been many incidences of dissension and problems along the way, were losing ground.

In 1968, a five man Board of Trustees was established to supplement the Board of Directors. Although they had no vote, this group served in an advisory capacity, their clout being to call membership meetings for issues of disagreement. At the end of 1972, the Trustees and Board were merged into a 9 man Board of Directors. The new Board was elected, but by Valentine’s Day, 1973, five had resigned, two of these being replacements of members who had resigned. Manager and worker problems seemed the order of the day, one reason possibly being the low monthly salaries.

The early 70’s brought in a range of activities in an attempt to promote interest. Miss Alano pageants pitted men against men to vie for the crown, along with their name inscribed on a trophy. Other trophies were awarded for shuffleboard, golf, bridge, pool and even a turkey shoot. Live bands, always used during most of the 60’s, gradually gave way to taped music to cut expenses. Bingo was stopped, and then restarted.

In June 1972, Harold P. assumed responsibility as administrator of the Club after manager Dean W. resigned. Harold had been on the board since 1959, serving as president during most of the time. Gradually, both finances and the general condition of the Club improved until he took sick in November 1974. In December, Al B. took his place. Al was elected to the board February 10th, , was elected president on May 15th, and now would cover until Harold returned. At the December 15th 1974 General Membership Meeting, he announced that “a certain amount of money is going to be deposited into the savings account to cover Bingo payoffs.”

January 1975 started on a somewhat positive note. Harold P. came back, Al B. was re-elected president of the new board, a cleanup committee was formed and a cuss box with a five cent penalty was put at the coffee bar. Pathways (a live-in drug recovery house) were allowed to bring 10 people to dances and NA was allowed to have a dance at the Club on January 25th. Estimates were being obtained for a fence around the property and Al was continuing to serve as manager in addition to his duties as president of the board. In his report at the January 25th board meeting, he suggested “caution should be exercised so we remain in black ink.”

By July, the Club had been painted on the outside, the restrooms were being remodeled, the parking lot was being considered for paving and Bingo was improving, showing a profit. The financial statement had been modified, combining some revenue items, poker income from the card room was low and a small deficit was showing up from bad checks. In August, cases of steak and grapefruit were reported stolen, and Andre L. suggested it be recorded in the P & L statement. He also requested an audit to determine the extent of the loss. A lock was put on the back room door, and things settled down.

By the end of the 1975, dances were being held every Saturday night, live bands the 2nd and 4th Saturdays and jukebox dances the remaining Saturdays. The board had voted in November to raise dues to $5.00 per month effective January 1st, 1976, to help pay for the growing costs of business, management and the several major improvements planned for the Club. The December newsletter included a “Special Thank You” to Al for the fine job being done.

1976 began as usual, activities planned, improvements progressing and things generally going well. There was nothing much different than the past year, until one mid-year morning the Club wasn’t opened at the normal time. When someone with a key to the office finally arrived, the bad news began to unfold. The floor safe was open, all the cash was missing, and no sign of forced entry. As the day progressed, a call to Security Savings & Loan found a dry savings account. That was bad enough but as the days passed, checks began showing up at the Club marked “insufficient funds”. Al and the Club’s money had disappeared.

Panic set in and an emergency board meeting was called. The first priority was to keep the Club going, so volunteers help manned necessary posts, creditors were called to explain the problem and keep essentials coming in and the whole Club was stunned. Except for in AA meetings, not much else was talked about for some time. Several members had gone to the board asking for their resignations, feeling they had neglected their duty in not paying closer attention to financial reports and the like. None resigned, but each felt a greater sense of caution in any actions of the board.

Law enforcement agencies and bonding companies began their tasks in taking care of such unpleasant matters while another group began to hold discussions outside the Club. After the Club moved from Minnesota Avenue in 1962, a church group rented the property for use as children’s bible school. Coincidental to the theft and dissension at Fair Avenue, the Minnesota building was now vacant. A word here, a word there and before long a large group held a meeting at the vacant building. Topics ranged from the recent theft to the foul language and abuse from addicts to “what do we do now”. Hard as it was to swallow, the only thing that seemed right to some was to give up the Club many of them had worked hard to build, and start again. A board of directors was elected, volunteers offered help and support and a name was chosen: Alano Club West was born. The doors opened for business in October 1976. Meanwhile, a new manager was hired back at the Alano Club of San Jose, and Tony B. rolled up his sleeves.

October became a traditional month of celebration; the first charter received October 23, 1951 and the Fair Avenue clubhouse opened on October 20, 1962. October 1976 was also significant, but in a different way. Alano West opened its doors and Tony B. was just beginning in his new role as manager. The embezzlement, theft or whatever you called it, had drained the Club financially, and an anonymous donor had come through with a $2,000 no interest loan to be repaid when things got better. The members of the board had volunteered their services at the counter to defray the costs of hired help. Rough going, but life goes on.

On December 21, 1976, Dan O. our Club attorney brought a check for $4,500 from Security Savings to cover losses, another attorney was handling the other losses for the bonding company that protected the Club. $2,100 in recovered checks had been turned over, and arrangements were being made for Al to make restitution.

The anonymous loan was repaid, the balance put into savings. On January 18th, 1977, money from the bonding company was received, the new board elected and officers selected: Dick P., President, Charlie F., Vice President, Grautzie F., Secretary, Kathy O., Treasurer, all supported by Dave O., Willie K., Buzz S, Katie W. and Manuel M. Later, Katie resigned, replaced by Andre L.

On April 20, 1977 Andre made a motion to dismiss the manager, Tony, seconded by Manuel. Kathy, Dick and Willie agreed: Buzz, Grautzie and Charlie voted no. Dave had resigned earlier. Reasons given were: 1. Tony did not move the piano back on the stage, and 2. Tony did not fire a bar worker that served someone without a membership badge. The piano had been an on-again, off-again subject at board meetings, and membership rules had been a bone of contention for several years. Shock waves went through the Club, and a special membership meeting was called for May 3rd. At the meeting, eight reasons were given, only one matching the two reasons given to Tony, but all were rebutted as Grautzie took the floor. She authoritatively summarized the facts in each case, including that only one board member had followed through on the commitment to help behind the counter. 82 members voted to remove the five board members, 26 voted to retain – a clear majority. New board members were elected and Tony was unanimously reinstated with no loss in pay. The years that followed saw steady improvements in the Club, albeit membership fluctuations continued. The parking lot was paved, the front lobby tiled, the inside painted several times, improvements in the kitchen and more often than not, enough money was available for hired help. Volunteer effort then, as now and undoubtedly for all time to come, helped smooth over rough spots, but when membership in anything combines involvement with being there, those who become involved benefit to a greater degree whether or not they realize it at the time. Being a part of seems a common lacking for many alcoholics.

Tony went on to be Club manager for approximately 40 years (briefly retiring in 2010 and ably succeeded by Whitney Gonzalez). Luckily Tony returned and remained Club Manager until April of 2018 when he became CEO.

The 90’s brought lots of financial challenges to the Club and other local Alano Clubs. The Mid-Peninsula Alano Club closed in January, 1993, the All Amigos Alano Club was flooded in April, 1995 and never fully recovered and the South County Alano Club closed its doors in August 1996. Alano East’s financial woes continued and the Club faced a deficit of $11,599.47. By August 6, 1995, the Club was $7,355.32 in the red and the reason the Club not bouncing checks all over town is one of the employees hadn’t cashed his paychecks since April.

More drama than the Club wanted happened in December of 1994. The Club suffered its first (and only!) armed robbery. By the end of the fiasco the criminal had five hostages in the office. Luckily, no one was injured. Unwanted interaction with law enforcement occurred when the police took issue with the poker machines in the Club. The Club purchased a couple of Poker Machines. A staffer would report winnings from members, and the next day there would be an envelope to be picked up by the winners. All was good, but, then The Alano Club West got a couple of machines and decided to do it their way. One of the wives of a member warned the West that her husband was losing too much. After no action by the West, she went to the police. Since they were paying off on the spot, they paid a new guy on the spot, a bad idea indeed, he was an officer of the law. The West then snitched on us as well and the Club was raided! Tony B.’s presence at the precinct was requested by the authorities. The police called Tony at the golf course, after a raid and suggested he come down to the precinct. Friends in law enforcement helped out, resulting in the police taking the machine and Tony, taking one for the Club, pleading to a racketeering charge. Lesson learned, the monies made on the machines went back into the Club and small bonus were paid to the Club’s dedicated, yet underpaid, staff. As always, the Club’s books were well kept!

On a more mundane front, but also costly, in February of 1995 a visitor to the Club fell on the front steps spraining her ankle and suing the Club.

But it was not only financial worries and drama, we had fun too:

The Club has hosted weddings, golf tournaments, BBQs, picnics, potlucks, dances, flea markets, walk-a-thons, celebrations of life, and even a jazz festival. On a hot, sultry, Sunday afternoon in July, 1996, temperatures were in the 100’s and the humidity was not trailing by much. It hurt to breathe and required much too much effort. This was the afternoon set for the contest. The Alano Club West vs. The San Jose Alano Club softball game. The game was set for 2:00 p.m. and at 2:05 it looked like we had won by forfeit. While on the other side of town the opposing team had been warming up on the field and by 2:05 it looked like they had won by forfeit. By 3:00 or a little after we were able to get both teams on the same dusty diamond and we began. The West had better bases, better uniforms, better gloves and better equipment in general, they had the right to feel a little superior. They started by jumping in the lead by 2 to 3 runs. Despite the West’s advantages, the final score was Alano Club West 12, The San Jose Alano Club 13. Our friendly rivalry with Alano Club West came to an end when they had to shut their doors in 2022.

The Club continues to evolve to meet the needs of the recovery community. NA, CA, OA, SA. CODA 12 Step programs have all found a home here. The Club is integrated with the San Jose community, receiving interns from the sentencing alternative courts. Many of those who first came for mandated community service have become active (and grateful) participants in 12 step recovery.

In 2018, Tony B. elected to again retire and passed the baton to the able and willing Kiki M. who had been serving as Assistant Manager of the Club. Kiki, together with his wife, Terisa, have continued running the Club to the standards set by Tony and his predecessors!

In early 2019, a non-profit group called Beautiful Day came to the Club offering help. They attended a few Board meetings and discussed what they did for other non-profits and then came up with a plan on how they could help the Club. In March of 2019, they came in with a large number of volunteers and got to work painting the building, fixing the gazebo in the Serenity Garden and cleaning and weeding the garden. They repainted the lines in the parking lot and removed the junk piled up in the back of the Club. They also built a deck out back below the windows of the Duncan Hall meeting room. The Club got a whole new look and we were very grateful for Beautiful Day’s generosity and efforts.

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