Clover Leaf
Known Name(s)
Clover Leaf
Address
443 Michigan Ave. Buffalo, NY
Establishment Type(s)
Tavern
Physical Status
Demolished
Description
Clover Leaf was located in a three-story building with a composition roof. The height from the ground to roof level was 28 feet, and the walls were 12 inches thick according to the updated 1925-51 Sanborn map. The building was located on the northeast corner of Clinton and Michigan Ave. and was flanked by stores going down both Michigan and Clinton. There was an opening on the north side of the building which led into the store at 447 Michigan, a two-story building adjacent to the restaurant. There were window openings on this side at the second and third floor. There seems to have been a small one-story extension to the building on its eastern side.
Detailed History
Located near another Green Book site, Modern's Beauty Shop, Lucky Clover Grill sat in a mixed residential and business area on Buffalo's East Side in a predominant African American community. The Sanborn map from 1950 reveals that many restaurants and two hotels were located nearby. Lucky Clover was a hotbed for disturbances, with numerous Courier Express articles reporting incidents of drunken disorderly conduct. Lucky Clover Grill would have its liquor license suspended in late 1954 for sale to minors. The last identified mention of Lucky Clover Grill came in 1966. Currently the area where the Lucky Clover Grill once stood is a large parking.
