{"id":7603,"date":"2012-04-28T10:57:53","date_gmt":"2012-04-28T15:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=7603"},"modified":"2015-06-09T10:50:29","modified_gmt":"2015-06-09T14:50:29","slug":"boot-saddle-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2012\/04\/28\/boot-saddle-again\/","title":{"rendered":"The Boot and Saddle…Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Boot<\/a>I’ve shot this sign a million times, and I’ll probably shoot it a million more, but the day I shot this was just a perfect day. So here it is once again – the fabulous sign outside of the Boot and Saddle Bar!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I last posted about this about two years ago<\/a>, and one of the wonderful things about the internet is that this stuff bops endlessly around cyberspace and there’s always somebody discovering a post anew. Back in November, I got a wonderful comment from somebody who worked at the Boot and Saddle in the early days. Linda Juilianna Ruilova<\/strong><\/em> wrote:<\/p>\n

\n

OMG! The Boot & Saddle. I can tell you a lot about the Boot. It was the greatest place ever. Owned by Pete DelBorrello. I rented one of his apts over his laundromat. He had just bought that place and had a little bar in it. As I got to know him he asked me to work for him and I said okay what the heck. Then I met Jeannie his daughter and we ran it together. I saw it go from a dive to a great place. His brother Al put in a 40 ft circular bar and they served shots and beer from kegs that were hooked up from the basement. There used to be a Marine Armory across the street so we had a lot of Marines in there and a few neighborhood morning lushes. I remember the day the sign was delivered and put up. It was the most beautiful sign I ever saw. Then we decided to have Country Music because that was Pete’s favorite music. We started to get bands on the weekend. Gradually the sign brought in customer after customer. It really grew and people loved it. Jeannie and I had a great following. Then Pete decided to have go-go dancers at lunchtime and that brought in more people. He had two stands on top of the bar at each end and the dancers would dance there. The backroom was a sawdust floor with tables and used to be packed on weekends with country music and dancing. God I loved that bar. It was responsible for me finding my husband in a round about way and I moved to Oklahoma City. I can tell you story after story about the Boot. It is very dear to my heart. I loved Pete and Elsa Delborrello they were like parents to me as I was supporting myself and alone in the world.That 40 ft circular bar was amazing and a long walk back and forth there were bar stools all the way around and sawdust on the floor. Eventually Pete let me put in food and a steamtable and then he let me put mixed drinks for the ladies and it was absolutely great. He loved that bar. He also owned laundromats,\u201ccheck cashing place-bakeries and god knows what else. The Delborrello’s of South Philly were very well respected by everyone. He had wonderful kids. New years day was a blast! It used to be so packed and people in and out for the Mummers Parade you couldn’t pour a drink fast enough. I still kind of stay in touch with the family. Jeannie is my daughters godmother. Sorry to go on and on but I just can’t say enough about that wonderful family and the man who brought Country Music to South Philly. Anything you want to know just ask me. Pete was the kindest and most respectable I have ever met in my life. If I had the energy and the money I would buy it and start it up again because I know it would work. Country music is big today and everyone loves it. It would do South Philly good.<\/em>
\n Long Live The Boot. Linda Okie<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Linda, thank you so much for writing this. The big boot was always some big, silly sign I would pass on South Broad Street. Thanks for painting a picture of the place and a time period.<\/p>\n

If you have any pictures of the interior from that time, I’m sure a lot of folks in Philly would love to see them!<\/p>\n

\"Boot<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve shot this sign a million times, and I’ll probably shoot it a million more, but the day I shot this was just a perfect day. So here it is once again – the fabulous sign outside of the Boot … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[104],"tags":[155,1526,284,1137,1525,106,1528,354,3669,1527,107],"class_list":["post-7603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-philadelphia","tag-bar","tag-boot-and-saddle","tag-booze","tag-broad-street","tag-country-and-western","tag-neon","tag-peeling-paint","tag-pennsylvania","tag-philadelphia","tag-rust","tag-sign"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-1YD","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12174,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2022\/07\/22\/boot-saddle-bar\/","url_meta":{"origin":7603,"position":0},"title":"Boot & Saddle Bar","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"July 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a shot from a while back before the iconic Boot and Saddle sign on South Broad Street was restored. It was a wondrous relic in its decay, but now it looks as it did when it was first installed. Sadly the club beneath this sign could not withstand\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Looking South"","block_context":{"text":"Looking South","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/looking-south\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Boot&SaddleSign","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/BootSaddleSign.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/BootSaddleSign.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/BootSaddleSign.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":18968,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2015\/06\/09\/the-boot-saddle-sign-restored\/","url_meta":{"origin":7603,"position":1},"title":"The Boot & Saddle Sign RESTORED!","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"June 9, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"If you've driven, biked, walked or crawled along South Broad Street near the Ellsworth subway stop in Philadelphia over the past several decades, you've probably seen this sign: The bar was vacant for years, but it's recently been refurbished and is seeing new life as a bar and music venue\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Philadelphia"","block_context":{"text":"Philadelphia","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/philadelphia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Boot and Saddle Sign at night","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/boot-not-lit.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/boot-not-lit.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/boot-not-lit.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19006,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2015\/06\/11\/wheres-my-boot\/","url_meta":{"origin":7603,"position":2},"title":"Where’s My Boot?!","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"June 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I had just written about the beautifully restored Boot & Saddle Sign on Broad Street in South Philadelphia, and I was looking forward to it being lit up and sharing a shot on the site when this happened!Hey, what gives?! I was walking to work this morning not paying attention,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Philadelphia"","block_context":{"text":"Philadelphia","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/philadelphia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Boot-saddle-NO-sign.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Boot-saddle-NO-sign.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Boot-saddle-NO-sign.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1030,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2010\/05\/17\/why-i-love-philly-the-boot-and-saddle-bar\/","url_meta":{"origin":7603,"position":3},"title":"Why I Love Philly: The Boot and Saddle Bar","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"May 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"This sign is not as mysteriously obscure as some of the treasures I've come across. It's on the city's main drag - Broad Street - and within spitting distance of City Hall, but that doesn't make this weathered monstrosity any less wonderful. Country and Western music in South Philly? Who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Philadelphia"","block_context":{"text":"Philadelphia","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/philadelphia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/boot_saddle.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":19096,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2015\/06\/23\/still-no-sign-of-the-sign\/","url_meta":{"origin":7603,"position":4},"title":"Still No Sign of the Sign","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"June 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I had recently written about the refurbishment of the iconic electrified boot that adorned the facade of the Boot & Saddle Bar only to be disappointed a few days later by the mysterious disappearance of that sign. Sadly, I have no happy new news to report. The boot is still\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wire nuts on electrical wires","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/wire-nuts.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/wire-nuts.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/wire-nuts.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20248,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2016\/01\/10\/back-in-the-saddle-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":7603,"position":5},"title":"Back in the Saddle Again!","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"January 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Tremendous news -- the enormous electric boot is back on Broad! It's been fully restored and illuminated!Having heard that The Boot and Saddle's fabulous sign had returned to it's rightful place, I headed over there armed with a couple of cameras. I had done this before to see a physically\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Boot1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Boot1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Boot1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7603\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}