1968 -1972 P.J.'s

• 1968 - 1972 - P.J.'s

A freight train passes by P.J.'s on Santa Monica Boulevard

1970 photo: UCLA photo archives

1968 - 1972 

Between 1968 and 1972, P.J.'s went through a series of owners and entertainment policies.

April 1968 

 In April of 1968, P.J.'s was sold to the the owners of Sneaky Pete's. 

(Sneaky Pete's was located at 8907 Sunset Boulevard, just west of the Whisky. Sneaky Pete's opened in early 1965. This site was previously the home of the London Fog (club where the Doors use to Play). Sneaky Pete's was an upscale bar that served up 1/4 lb hot dogs and omelette's with hamburger and spinach. After every meal they served fresh fruit).

1968

Before P.J.'s was re-opened,  the new owners did a little redecorating which included: 

•  Removing the wall that separated the piano bar from the old puppet room 

•  Paint the ceiling black and splattered it with spangles so it would glitter 

•  Installed cheap pseudo paneling on the walls and hang an ugly mirror on the ceiling

• Hang  new pink stage curtains and provide some new acoustics  

• Enlarge the the back room and upstairs balcony /seating area 

•  Paneled the back room and paint the ceiling red 

• Place a few Tiffany lamp shades around the room to make it all look classy

• A dance floor was put in the main room.  

April 11, 1968

The Fifth Dimension opens up the new P.J.'s.

L.A. Times

 P.J.'s entertainment policy was in flux.  It changed owners and managers several times in the next few year. Howver, the entertainment presented here was primarily;  soul ,  funk, pop jazz, campaign jazz, doo-wop,  rhythm and blues, disco and general urban adult contemporary singers. 

1968

Richard Pryor performed at P.J.'s for 2 weeks in May 1968.  

Seven Souls

Gordian Knot

1969

Kelly Garrett

the Orange Colored Sky

The Happy Medium

The Mob

L.A. Times

1970

Freda Payne 

Little Anthony and the Imperials

Thelma Houston

Nooney Rickett

Sonny Charles

1971 

Carmen McRae

Joe Simon

Isley Brothers

Freda Payne 

The Impressions

Little Anthony and the Imperials

Martha Reeves

Deacon Jones (LA Ram star)

The Main Ingredient

Ray Charles played here on  September 3-5, 1971

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Back room presented Skins  (the topless review) nightly.

At the end of 1971, P.J.'s was was for sale again.

1972 January 

P.J.'s Opens again under new ownership who include: the infamous Eddie Nash, Hal Glickman and Dominic Lucci.

 They promise to bring P.J.'s back to its prominence of several years ago. 

The new owners gave P.J.'s another superficial  face lift. 

P.J.'s reopened as a 21 + club, with dancing nightly.  

The two rooms were now called:

• Lido Room - back room (SKIN'S - a Vegas type revue).
  
• Copa Room - front room - (top music acts).

1972 - Parking, noise and disturbance problems start to upset the neighborhood surrounding PJ's. more and more. 

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