Tolliver's
This Google Maps image shows what Tolliver's looks like as of 2024.
This November 19th, 1949 newspaper advertisement from the New York Age shows Tolliver's as the first stop on a bar crawl.
This Queens Ledger, Maspeth New York newspaper clipping from March 19th, 1953 shows evidence that Tolliver's, also referred to as "Tolliver's Crystal Casino," received their liquor license.
Known Name(s)
Tolliver's () Tolliver’s Crystal Casino ()
Address
112 New York Blvd. Jamaica, NY (1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952)112-27 New York Blvd. Jamaica, NY (1953, 1954, 1955)
Establishment Type(s)
Tavern
Physical Status
Extant
Description
Built in 1935, #112-27 New York Blvd. Jamaica, NY (now 112-27 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard) was located on the corner of New York Boulevard and Phroane Avenue. The once tavern is a two-story brick structure with a flat roof and parapet at the roof line. The New York City Property Portal describes the building as being 2,900 square feet and a “S3 Residence,” which is classified as a building with three residential units and one store or office.
The New York Municipal Archival photo of the building provides a more accurate idea of what Tolliver’s would have looked like while in business. On the ground level facing south towards New York Boulevard is a glass window storefront display that takes up the entire lower wall. The main entry door faces west and is carved out of the corner of the building. The doors were exterior double French doors. The exterior facing Phroane Avenue features another glass storefront display. Today, two more exterior doors appear on this wall: the first appears to be a modern, fiberglass door with four separate apartment mailboxes, and the second is a metal sliding door at the end of the building. North of the metal door are two four by eight glass block windows. Today, the storefront displays and main entrance have metal roll-down security gates.
On the second-story facing New York Boulevard, there were two sets of six over one double-hung windows with soldier course headers. A belt course of brick runs under the windows. While the original window bays are intact, today these windows are one over one replacement windows, with many air conditioning units filling them. The second-story exterior wall on Phroane Avenue has seven more windows, alternating between single and paired.
There is decorative brick patterning near the top of the parapet in a basketweave pattern.
Detailed History
Tolliver’s was a Black family-owned business where the family lived and worked out of the same building. Run by William Tolliver and his brothers, Thomas Tolliver and Spencer Blackburn, the 1950’s Census shows that William managed the business, Thomas was a bartender, and Spencer was a porter. Dorothy Tolliver (William’s wife), Jeannie (Jennie) Tolliver (Thomas’s wife), Elizabeth Stendevant (the eldest Tolliver sibling), and Constance Lynn also lived at 112-27 New York Boulevard. Stendevant was widowed and Lynn was described by the census taker as a roomer. It is unclear if Spencer Blackburn was a biological brother of the Tolliver’s or a close family friend.
In 1949, Tolliver’s, also referred to as Tolliver’s Crystal Casino in the newspaper, was the first stop on a Tavern Owners of Long Island bar crawl. It was set to begin November 3, 1949, and proceed every Thursday following.
It was reported in 1953 that Tolliver’s received their liquor licenses, but it is unclear if this was a new liquor license or a license renewal. In 1964, the New York Amsterdam News reported on a Barmen’s Dance sponsored by the Allied Bartenders Club of New York, in which William Tolliver served as treasurer.
In 1968, Thomas and Jeannie (Jennie) Tolliver sold the building for $28,000 to Patricia Kielt.
