The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach started out as Henry Bakre’s Golden Lion Cafe (1923) and evolved into a world-renown music and comedy nightclub, especially in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.
Today, the Bear, once located at 306 Pacific Coast Highway (south of Main), still fondly lives in the minds of many.
“It was so intimate, as if the performers were in your living room and you were part of the show,” recalled Dan McCoy, a former board member of the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. “Robin Williams and Linda Ronstadt were two of the nicest stars. They’d talk with everybody and were really interested in what you had to say.”
“If you didn’t have any money, you could stand outside, even across the street, and enjoy the wonderful music.”
“The acts were so sensational that Cher, Helen Reddy and Peter Frampton dropped by to check them out,” said Carole Babiracki-Kirby in an interview. She, along with her late husband, Rick, and his brother, Chuck, were the Golden Bear’s last owners (1974-1986). “No Doubt, Jose Feliciano and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band loved the venue. The whole building literally shook when Steppenwolf played ‘Born to be Wild.’”
“Some bands were on their way up and started out as opening acts. Van Halen opened for ‘Yesterday and Today.’ They said to take their photo because they were going to be famous someday.”
Other up-and-coming, opening acts, included the likes of Cheech and Chong, Howie Mandel and Steve Martin. Peter Tork worked as a dishwasher at the Bear before becoming a famous singer/bassist with the Monkees.
“In 1979, a young man named Wyland painted musical notes and musician portraits on a huge mural on the north side of the building, before he became known globally for his whale and ocean artistry. We didn’t have much money to pay him, so we gave him free food and show tickets,” Babiracki-Kirby said.
Chuck Babiracki said in an interview that John Denver popped in to see Firefall and ended up jamming with them. “Men at Work did their first show in the United States there,” he said. “Oingo Bongo got their start when they appeared as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Bongo.”
“Popular English singer/songwriter Peter Gabriel tried out his music on America at the Golden Bear before a major concert at The Forum, the next night. We put his name on the marquee and the concert sold out in 10 minutes. He loved HB so much. After his performance, he walked across the street and went swimming in the ocean.
Ticket prices ranged from $3 for Monday Hoot Nights (new talent showcase) to $20 for Gabriel or B.B. King.
“In 1978, I was cruising my bike on the sidewalk, when the front doors of the Golden Bear were opened because it was hot inside. I stood there on my bike and really enjoyed watching Lenny and the Squigtones. Lenny and Squiggy were characters from the hit TV show, Laverne and Shirley,” said Dave Reynolds, a sculptor, who lives in Huntington Harbour.
“It was a blast listening to Tower of Power or the Paul Butterfield Blues Band,” recalled musician and surfer John Mccurnin of Long Beach. “Those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end.”
“My favorite act was Jimmy Buffett because of the energy in the room. What a joyous, memorable experience,” said Mike Howeth, retired executive-director of the Westminster Boys and Girls Club.
The incredible musical paradise (that sat 300 and served food) became internationally-known as it evolved from a cafe, where Hollywood celebrities like Errol Flynn and Lionel Barrymore loved to eat, to a major music mecca before closing with a final Robin Trower concert on Jan. 29, 1986. There were attempts to try and save the Bear but the building reportedly needed seismic reinforcement, some wanted to tear it down and redevelop the area, and the landowner sold the property.
The Golden Bear owners said: “When we were packing to leave, it started raining inside, almost like the Bear was crying ‘goodbye.’”
In 2014, a plaque created by the Huntington Beach Historic Resources Board, honoring the entertainment landmark, was placed on a building pillar at the spot where the Bear once roared.
Board Chair Duane Wentworth said, “It was more than just a legend, but a temple to music that was appreciated the world over.”
“The Golden Bear really put Huntington Beach on the map,” said City Historian Jerry Person. “We were known everywhere for the incredible acts at very reasonable prices. It’s sorely missed but will always be remembered.”
To read more about its controversial end, fascinating beginning, different locations, character owners, as well as entertainers, you can read Robert J. Carvounas’ book, “A History of the Golden Bear,” published in 2009.
