Ann Arbor's Del Rio Bar: a sentimental look back

The now-closed Del Rio Bar on Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor gets a nostalgic remembrance in a column today by Alan Glenn in The Ann Arbor Chronicle.

The column hails the release of the book "Liberty, Equality, Consensus and All That Jazz at the Del Rio Bar," published by Huron River Press. The book was written by Ernie Harburg, one of three partners who founded the Del Rio, with a big assist from Larry Behnke, who worked at the Del Rio from 1972 to 1983.

The column provides a nice history of the bar, its countercultural atmosphere, where drug use was accepted, if not outright encouraged, and its unusual management arrangement. (After the bar's first manager didn't pay taxes or keep accurate books, the bar just went without a manager, and employees and the owners had equal say in running it.)

The column also notes that Ernie Harburg will sign copies of the book Wednesday at the Jewish Book Festival, at the Jewish Community Center, 2935 Birch Hollow Drive, Ann Arbor.