The Monster Cherry Grove Est. 1969
Before it became the institution it is known as today, The Monster (Greenwich Village, NYC) started out as a restaurant in Cherry Grove on Fire Island. The Monster was named after a carved wooden sea serpent from the Coney Island carousel. Joe Scialo opened the restaurant and bar in 1969, where it swiftly evolved into the hottest gay nightspot of the time. From there, the concept expanded to Key West where it became immensely popular with snowbirds who would flock to vacation there during winter seasons. At the height of its popularity, The Monster was even considered Studio 54’s rival.
The Monster In Cherry Grove – Humble Beginnings
By Robert (Rose) Levine for the Fire Island News, 2021
In the early 1950s, Cherry Grove was a quiet community on Fire Island with quaint cottages where families from the mainland would spend their summer weekends relaxing and fishing. At that time, electricity wasn’t even available–though it was ultimately installed in l962. Sprinkled among the privately owned cottages were a few rental houses…and that’s where The Monster comes into play.
A nice woman named Annie, along with her husband, owned The Monster. It was located on Ocean Walk and in 1969, Joe Scialo purchased the property from them. He converted the house into a small restaurant with only a few tables. Though the establishment was limited in seating to reservations only, the food was good and the atmosphere unmatched, so word of it spread quickly.
Development Of The Monster Cherry Grove
Scialo expanded on the original restaurant with more tables, more staff, and a pianist that played light music during dinnertime. He then implemented a post-dinner sing-a-long that would follow at the piano bar until closing time. This took the restaurant to a whole new level and it became a popular destination for other Fire Island communities. Visitors from Ocean Beach, Fair Harbor, Kismet, The Pines, and Davis Park all decided to make the journey despite the fact that Randy and Sally’s Beach Taxis were the only cross-island transportation to get to the Grove at the time.
1970
1976
People from all over lined up to experience what The Monster had to offer, including the obscene Lobster and Steak Monster entree and cocktails poured generously by Sherwood, the legendary bartender. Reservations had to be made at least one week in advance and their long line of famous clientele included Margaret Truman and her husband; Clifton Daniel from Point O’Woods; Mel Brooks and his wife; Anne Bancroft from Lonelyville; Milton Berle and his wife, Ruth; Ethel Mermanand her host Goldie Hawkins from Ocean Beach; Tennessee Williams, Tommy Tune, Jerry Herman, Bette Midler, Richard Kiley and Zachary Scott.
Greeting the guests was “the infanta” in his oversized caftan. Good looking college students served as waiters, and Frankie “Piano” kept the place hopping for years (followed by Bobby Pico and then Vernon Larsen, both of whom kept up the tradition of singing till 3 a.m.). With the rise of discotheques in the 1970’s, The Monster became one of the hottest Fire Island nightclubs in town.
As the 70’s arrived, so did disco. The Monster created their own signature party with “Green Lips,” but the dancing didn’t take place only at night. The restaurant and bar was also famous for their afternoon “Tea Dance.” At 4pm, you’d leave the beach in your bathing suit and walk onto a crowded dance floor pulsating the latest disco beats. There, you’d dance to the hottest hits on a sand covered floor until your cares drifted away.
In 1975, Scialo launched a Key West location and it immediately became a hit. It was so popular among snowbirds that Charlie Rice Joe’s longtime partner even called it a “rival to Studio 54.”
1980
Joe Scialo’s Importance To The Monster’s Success
The longevity of The Monster can undoubtedly be attributed to Scialo’s magnetic presence. “He was the guy people identified the bar with, like, ‘That’s the owner there!’” shares Joe’s partner Charlie Rice, who is now running the joint. “He’d come over to you, and he might not always know your name, though he did know many, but he’d know what you drank. He created a family. When you come, you expect to see somebody familiar, whether it’s the customer sitting next to you or the guy behind the bar.”
Joe was also a huge proponent for community. He was one of the leaders in the fight against AIDS and discrimination against gay men afflicted with the disease back in the ’80s. The Monster was a beacon of hope, with Scialo leading by example by allowing employees to work till the very end even when they were showing visible signs of the disease. He even personally went to Mexico to purchase over-the-counter drugs in hopes of saving his friends. “To the many generations of boys, men and women lost to AIDS, Joe Scialo was a guardian angel,” Rice says.
Scialo was additionally a financial benefactor of the Gay Men’s Chorus and gave them an open bar at The Monster after rehearsals. He provided SAGE, the gay and lesbian seniors group, with the bus they used in the Gay Pride march each year and arranged and paid for Heritage of Pride’s liquor license for the annual dance on Pier 54 at W. 13th St. He was also a generous contributor to other charities.
The End Of An Era: Moving The Monster To Sheridan Square and Selling It
In 1982, Scialo found a permanent home for The Monster in Sheridan Square, where it has served gay patrons from all backgrounds and walks of life, from twinks to daddies, and everyone in between. It was there that the club was frequented by famous gay celebrities like Andy Warhol, Nathan Lane and Alan Cumming.
In 1980, The Monster Key West was sold to partners. In 1984, Scialo also sold The Monster in Sheridan Square. In Cherry Grove, the original restaurant began its journey of metamorphosis into several names…”The Mostro,” “The Tide,” “TIDES,” “SHAGS”…
In 2003, The Bay Leaf goes up in smoke…
A new Monster rises from the ashes…
After sitting vacant for years, Frank Pezzuto, the owner of Cherry Grove Pizza purchased the property in 2018 and began to renovate the original establishment into a new restaurant and club.
In 2021, he sold the property and the current owner, Ernesto Sgaglione continues with the vision with plans of opening the establishment in 2024.
2023. The work continues for an opening in 2025.
Owner Ernesto Sgaglione & FIPHPS President Bobby Bonanno
