Today Uncle Sam's is the name of a Buffalo surplus store, but back in the day it was first a disco known for its funky reverse dance floor and later one of Buffalo's earliest punk clubs. Uncle Sam's actually drew some pretty big names, too: Gang of Four, the Pretenders, the Plasmatics and the Ramones. At one point there were several other Uncle Sam's clubs operated by the same management team in Detroit, Des Moines, and Minneapolis – the last of these even made an appearance in Purple Rain.
The one in Syracuse is long gone: from Syracuse.com
DeWitt, N.Y. -- The former Uncle Sam's night club is going to meet the wrecking ball soon.
The long-vacant building at the northeast corner of Erie Boulevard East and Bridge Street, which also operated at various times as Suburban Park, the Country Club, the Scene and Oliver's, will be demolished at the end of March, said owner Grazi Zazzara.
Zazzara bought the building in 2008 for $500,000. He said he has always planned to tear down the building and develop the site for retail, a restaurant or other commercial use when a tenant could be found. He's said he's still looking for a tenant and is hoping that removing the building and cleaning up the property will help attract one.
"I didn't buy it for the building," he said. "I bought it for the location."
Built in the early 1960s, the building briefly housed a Polynesian restaurant before being turned into a night club. It operated under several different owners and names over the years.
The building has been vacant for about 15 years and has fallen into disrepair. Three bars are still intact inside, but the building's roof is caving in.
Since word got out that he is going to demolish it, Zazzara said he has been receiving calls from people telling him about their many fond memories of the place, some recalling how they met their future spouse there.