Volcano Bar and Restaurant (ca. 1944 – 1972) 31 N. Ann Street

The Volcano Bar is easily the most infamous Indian bar of Baltimore’s “reservation” era, but it was in existence long before the clientele was mostly Indian.[50] It first appears in a Sun ad as the “Volcano Restaurant” in 1944.[1] In the 1960s through 1972, the Volcano was owned by Greek WWII veteran, Costas “Gus” Themelis, and his wife, Stella Themelis. It became almost exclusively an Indian bar during this time and had a reputation for erupting every weekend. A July 1978 Baltimore Magazine article deemed The Volcano “the meanest bar of all time,” and claims it was “the only local bar that has ever had a patron shot off his bar stool with a bow and arrow.”[2] Mr. Themelis and his wife sold the bar to the City in 1972.[3] It was since razed and housing occupies its former site.

1. Classified ad 7 -- no title. (1944, Mar 24). The Sun (1837-1993) Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/542932406?accountid=34685

2. See Schaaf, Dale. Mean Bars. Baltimore Magazine, July 1978.

3. Baltimore City Superior Court (Land Records) RHB 2945, p. 0231, MSA_CE168_13263. Date available 11/08/2004. Date printed 08/01/2019.