Sammy's

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This article is about the gentlemen's club. For other uses, see Sammy's (disambiguation).

Sammy's (formerly Sammy's Go-Go) is a chain of gentlemen's clubs with its main Birmingham location at 342 Valley Avenue. It was founded by Salvadore "Sammy" Cantavespre in 1975, was owned by Sammy Russo in the late 1980s, and is currently owned by Patti Cantavespre.

The original Sammy's began as a restaurant and lounge at the former Knotty Pine location at 610 3rd Avenue West. According to Sammy's lore, one night in 1974 a female patron "streaked" across the lounge floor and business boomed for the next few nights. Cantavespre converted the restaurant into a nightclub with exotic dancers. He incorporated S. J. B. Corporation on April 29, 1976 and opened a second location at 449 Valley Avenue, then moved across the street to the former Hello Hello Club building.

Additional Sammy's clubs opened in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. A proposal to open a location in Northport in 1977 was withdrawn due to local opposition.

Cantavespre and three other men were charged with arson in the bombing of the New Spot Lounge on June 11, 1982. Cantavespre was acquitted of all charges.

In the 1970s Sammy's operated at 441 Valley Avenue. In 1989 Russo negotiated with building owner Al Pilkington to take over the lease for what was then the Pacific Islander restaurant at 342 Valley Avenue, over the objections of restaurant operator Herbert Hsu as well as protests by the franchise owner of the neighboring Arby's and of Birmingham City Council representative Valerie Abbott.

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