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Heshey Schlachterman and Hank Henry couldn’t help but feel something’s been missing since legendary rock club JC Dobbs closed more than a decade ago.
So the long-time residents decided to do something about it.
Now the owners of the club’s original space at 304 South St., they have resurrected it under the same name, hoping to channel the greatness — and perhaps create new legends — that once graced its stage.
Opened in 1975, JC Dobbs introduced Philadelphia to some of the world’s greatest rock bands before being sold in ’96, the year it became the Pontiac Grille. That eatery existed until about 2007.
Believing there was a void in the music scene without JC Dobbs, Schlachterman and Henry were united by their admiration for the once-great club. The businessmen — Schlachterman, of Fifth and South, owns a local hair salon, while Henry, who calls Second and South streets home, owns several area retail businesses — have every intention of returning the space to its former glory.
"The fact is there just aren’t many places in Philly to go see live rock music anymore," Marilou Regan, the club’s entertainment director, said. "South Street and Philadelphia really lost something when Dobbs closed. Just look at some of the names that took the stage here and you understand what kind of place this is."
JC Dobbs’ alumni list reads like a who’s who of the ’90s Billboard charts: Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Oasis and Weezer all ventured into the 190-capacity venue to hone their chops before breaking big. A trademark of the small club, its tiny stage forced bands to perform in extremely tight quarters, prompting Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder to once remark, "you’re probably only going to see bands like [duos] Flight of the Conchords and Tenacious D on the Dobbs stage." As part of major construction still in the works, which will include a second-floor lounge and amenity-laden green room, the original stage has been reinstalled after being removed during the Pontiac Grille days.
Charged with crafting the nightly lineup, Regan knows she has big shoes to fill.
"A lot of the famous acts played here when they were just learning how to rock, most of them were just kids," she said.
Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was just 22 when the group made its first of three appearances at the club, which also hosted Vedder and company’s fourth show.
With such a daunting past, the new incarnation has much to live up to, but a lot to fall back on — and the invitations have been tossed out.
"Of course we have our pipe dreams," Regan said of potential performers. "I mean, how cool would it be to see Tom Morello [formerly of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave] or Tool or any of the great bands who’ve played here in the past back on the Dobbs stage? We are reaching out to a number of people and are in talks with some of the artists who have played here in the past, although nothing is definite as of yet."
This summer offers the new operators of JC Dobbs an opportunity to build their own musical legacy. The bar that officially reopened in June is still awaiting its liquor license, but the minor setback has led to an unusual solution: Dobbs is open to all ages, an idea Regan thinks will remain, on a limited basis, even once the taps flow.
"Part of creating a viable music scene is introducing kids of all ages to rock music," the entertainment director said. "If we are going to help strengthen the music scene, there is a great need to grow the fan base."
A generation has been born since JC Dobbs once ruled South and many of the bands that took its stage have revamped, reconciled or broken up. Yet, Regan is confident the name — adopted by Henry and Schlachterman since the original club ownership, which changed hands many times, dissolved following the closure — will still carry the same credibility it once did.
"We’ve really considered that maybe it doesn’t, especially with a younger audience, but ironically that has not been a problem at all. We’ve found that the fans, and especially the bands, even very young bands, have learned about and really respect the history of this place," she said.
The past may not have been forgotten due to a new approach that stresses the JC Dobbs’ of years ago and its new beginnings.
"We’ve had to actively reach out to the online generation," Regan said, adding, "you have to use Internet-type marketing — MySpace and Facebook — to promote and initiate interest. Since Dobbs’ heyday, the whole approach to marketing and promotion has changed."
One of the young bands Regan referenced that understood the club’s importance was the 3 J’s in the A.M., an alt-rock group from Stratford, N.J., who made its first appearance at Dobbs July 5. The band is just one in a multitude of unsigned acts the club will hand the mic to.
"It was such an honor to play there," John Corcoran, the band’s 21-year-old lead guitarist, said. "Just to know that we’re playing on the same stage as some of our biggest musical heroes is incredible."
In its first form, JC Dobbs featured an eclectic lineup, from heavy metal to country, and hosted poetry readings and open-mic nights. The new club will attempt to continue that tradition, according to Regan, who said they have already planned nights featuring Latin music and rock fashion shows.
"We plan on bringing coolness back to South Street," Regan said. "Rock music leads to incredible diversity; people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds can be brought together, and that’s what we intend to do."
