Random Vegas

10/28/12 - The Evolution of a Vegas property.  La Bayou on Fremont St was originally a coffee shop.  In 1920, it was renamed the Northern Club. The name was chosen because minors understood “northern” to be code for gambling & booze available within.  In 1931, they became a legal casino.  It was also the first time a gaming license was awarded to a women, Mayme Stocker.  Before he built the Desert Inn, Wilbur Clark purchased the Northern club in 1943 and renamed it “The Turf Club”.  Two years later, he rethemed and renamed it the Monte Carlo Club.  In 1969 Herb Pastor, who would later open Mermaids and Glitter Glutch, purchased the Monte Carlo Club and rethemed & renamed it “Coin Castle”.  It remained coin castle until it was purchased in 1996 and again, rethemed & renamed La Bayou, which is what it is today.  The coin castle king is now on display at the Neon Boneyard. (Vegas Chatter and Vintage Vegas Research)