In 1925, two young men named Sam and Rocco Delewese, along with Tony DeVictor, created a small barbecue joint called the Gloria in Upper Arlington.
Now, nearly 90 years later, an El Vaquero stands in its place. The story of the Gloria – and the property where it once sat – includes the restaurant’s ties to new eatery Skyward Grille, on an adjoining lot.
During the Roaring Twenties in central Ohio, the economy was succeeding with low unemployment, steady wages and plenty of disposable income. New money and old money from New York traveled all around the country, including taking the Pennsylvania railroad overnight to visit Columbus and upscale suburbs such as Upper Arlington.
Dance clubs were all the rage. And so, in 1928, the owners of the Gloria turned their barbecue restaurant near the corner of Riverside Drive and Trabue Road into a nightclub that boasted some of the top acts in the country for the next several decades.
“It was one of the most popular dinner, nightclub and entertainment establishments in Columbus. National entertainment – such as The Four Freshmen, Dean Martin and many big bands – would perform on its stage, and large weddings were a regular occurrence as well. Italian food was The Gloria’s specialty,” says Jennifer Ratliffe, co-ow
ner of Skyward Grille.
After Sam Delewese’s death in 1955, Frankie and Aldo, Rocco’s sons, ran the Gloria for decades. Ratliffe’s aunt Dori Oddi was married to Frankie, who managed the Gloria along with Aldo.
The restaurant continued to dabble in entertainment, as according to website Buckeye Beat, the Gloria also hosted “weekly teen dances with the likes of (local bands) The Dantes and Electras (before they became The Fifth Order) and other popular bands.”
Around 1970, the Gloria nightclub burned down. Three separate lots were created from the site. The Gloria, reincarnated as an Italian restaurant sans nightclub, was rebuilt on the same location as where the El Vaquero stands today, while a gas station was built on the adjacent lot and is now Skyward Grille, says Jennifer’s husband, Mike Ratliffe.
As they searched for a location for Skyward, Jennifer and Mike had many parameters that made their decision challenging.
“We searched for nearly two years for the perfect location. The difficult part was finding a visible location for retail frontage (that also had) the warehouse capabilities to house our mobile cart and catering operations,” Jennifer says. “We also needed space within 10 minutes of (The Ohio State University) and (Columbus State Community College) campuses for the convenience of our daily mobile cart commutes. Additionally, we were looking for a location that could accommodate either a small retail tenant or meeting and party room space.”
When the Ratliffes discovered the building was for lease, it seemed as though fate had led them there.
“When we looked at this property, 2185 Riverside Dr., we fell in love,” Jennifer says. “It held a special place in my family’s history. … It seemed like it was meant to be to open our Skyward Grille near the same location as the original Gloria.”
In addition, during the 1970s, Jennifer and her family have many fond memories of the Gloria restaurant.
“My aunt Dori was always in the kitchen of the Gloria (restaurant) making her homemade sauce, meatballs and Italian specialties. My grandmother, Anna Oddi Dallas, worked as a waitress at the Gloria as well. I used to eat their Italian meals right next to this restaurant we own now. My parents had their wedding reception here,” Jennifer says.
Upper Arlington resident Judy Tackett also has happy memories of the Gloria.
“When we were first out of college and waiting for our teaching jobs to be available, several of us worked at what was then the Arlington Arms Motel and Restaurant just south of there as waitresses, and when our shifts were over, we would go to the Gloria, which was open later, to discuss our day and have a libation,” says Tackett.
Though the Gloria closed on April 3, 1993, Jennifer hopes to pass some of her family tradition on. On the walls of Skyward, which opened in April, are historical images, some of the Gloria’s glory years, in black and white, provided by local historical societies. In a World War II-era photo is Sam Delewese with his signature cigar and grin and six of the Gloria waitresses.
Some of the other photos capture the period and nearby neighborhoods, including San Margherita. Also pictured is golfer Jack Nicklaus, who is from Upper Arlington.
The restaurant is also home to central Ohio artist Giovanni Santiago’s latest piece, The Real Street Scene of Columbus, a mural high above the heads of the restaurant’s patrons.
David Allen is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
