WHILE I did not patronize Doyle’s Corner, Broadwaya nd 42nd Street in Long Island City often, as I lived miles away in Little Neck, the longtime HQ of the Greater Astoria Historical Society (where I am a trustee) was a few blocks away until a building sale forced it out in 2018. Actually when I was there I spent more time sitting outside by the door than inside, as that is where my friend Mitch Waxman who writes the daily Newtown Pentacle, preferred an outside seat in the warm months; he has since moved on to Pittsburgh. The best hamburgers are often found in pubs and Doyle’s is no exception. Little Neck has no real neighborhood taverns, but Astoria and LIC remain chockablock with them, despite ever-changing demographics.
There has been a pub in this location for a long time. It has been operated as Doyle’s Corner since 1986 but this 1940 tax photo shows a Scanlon’s Bar and Grill. There is also a tavern in the 1980 tax photo but the Municipal Archives’ 1980s photos are too fuzzy to make out details.
Why mention Doyle’s Corner as they’re not paying me to plug it? I noticed these vintage Guinness posters on the 42nd Street side wall, employing the catchphrase “Guinness for Strength” and the company mascot, the tropical bird the toucan (used long before it was the Froot Loops mascot). in 1928, Guinness’ advertiser, SH Benson, employed an art director named John Gilroy, who hit on a concept promoting Guinness as providing strength (whether it does or not; perhaps it provides liquid courage) and depicted patrons lifting heavy things like girders or whales, shown here. The whale was also part of a second campaign Gilroy initiated featuring animals. The most successful was the toucan, who first showed up in 1935 and revived for the brand in the 1980s.
You can see more of Gilroy’s ads, which can be considered artworks on their own, on this promo page for the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland.
Check out the ForgottenBook (HarperCollins, 2006), as well as Forgotten Queens (Arcadia, 2013). I also have a chapter in the anthology “New York Calling: From Blackout to Bloomberg” (Reaktion, 2007). As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.