A very special place, perhaps not the place, but the people. The atmosphere was very calming, no anxiety here. Deja Vu: We have here the identical Clydesdale model as we found in the Crystal!
But the real story here is not the structure - for the bar was simply four walls - what made it special was Skippy!
We first saw Skippy as he proudly waddled into Cronin's with a stolen case of Very Fine Grapefruit Juice. He promptly plopped the case on the bar and stated "I,I,I, could gotten two #@*!%¢ cases of 'em - do you want one?"
The astute barmaid replied, "Don't you bring that stolen merchandise in here Skippy.. All I need is the cops".
So obediently, Skip hoisted the hot grapefruit juice on his shoulder and plodded toward the door. As he did so, his shorts lost their fight against gravity. To which the Barmaid offered "Pull you Bermudah's up, Skippy, or you're gonna get arrested for indecent exposah!"
But that wasn't all. As we were walking down the street, exiting Cronin's, we happened to meet Skippy hurriedly escorting a case of Diet Pepsi (tonic as he referred to it) on his shoulder down the sidewalk.
As we approached, Grant startled Skippy by saying, "Ah Skip, not another case".
Just then, Skippy lost it all: The cardboard case folded in half which sent Pepsi Cans careening to the ground and rolling down the street.
Skippy, obviously frantic, but intent on reassembly his case, blurted out
"You.... you guys made me do that!"
We laughed and walked on, reminiscing on Cronin's barmaid's words of wisdom, when Skippy left with his case of Grapefruit Juice:
"They let 'em out on weekend passes....but they keep the wrong ones locked up!"
No text. The Cronin's entry runs long, so its photograph occupies its own page. Photograph: a hanging two part sign projecting from a brick building. The upper panel reads "Cronin's Cafe" in script; below it a BUSCH sign with the Busch "A and eagle" device and the words FINE FOOD. An awning and a row of windows run down the side street beyond. The clearest photograph in the document.