Dr. Bob's 1982 News Leader Article

Read the complete artiicle written by Gary Stifford for the Springfield Newsleader, in 1982.

Club owner has special beat for downtown

By Gary Sifford
During the last three years, Bob Martin has put a lot of himself - both his energy and his money - into a 90 year old building in downtown Springfield. At a time when some merchants are fleeing the center city in favor of south Srpingfield; the owner and operator of Murphy's jazz bar, 218 S. Campbell firmly believes there's a good future downtown. "I think people in Springfield are really fortunate to have such a beautiful downtown area. Martin said. There's no reason why downtown can't flourish again, and it's a shame for something we have to be overlooked." When he started renovating the two-story building three years ago, one of Martin's major goals was "to build more of a culture environment, more than anyting else, in this area, hoping that that other people would pick up the ball and run with it," he said. "I saw a soft spot in my heart for older buildings." He has a long way to go in finishing the building's restoration, and the progress of the renovation depends on the availability of money, he said. He has bankrolled most of the project himself. Murphy's, which features live jazz five nights a week, opened about four months ago and is approaching profitibilty, Martin said, "It's at a break-even point. Each week it adds clientele," he said. "It's really difficult to have live music five nights out of the week and have people support it." He noted, added that it takes a good weekend to cover the week-night expenses. The other half of his plan for the building is a New York style deli with imported grocery items and hanging meats and cheeses. He already has aquired some of the antique fixtures that will adorn the deli. "When the building was purchased, this was always going to be a jazz club," he said of Murphy's. The other side was going to be a deli. It still is, when he can finish it. Martin, who was a food service manager for ARA Services for 14 years, said the deli is his pet project even though it was temporarily has had to take a back seat to the jazz club. Complying with the city building regulations was more difficult and expensive for the deli than for the club, he said, so he opted to get the club operating first to generate some cash. He said he hopes to get, started on the deli, which he intends to name Capistrano's, in the fall and open it next spring." That will really only happen depending on the money supply," he said. Without a little help from his friends, Martin said, he might not have been able to get his business venture off the ground. Much of the labor that has gone into the project has been donated. Sitting at one of the small round tables in Murphy's he recalled the frantic, last-minute preparations that preceded the club's opening. With just a few hours remaining before the scheduled opening time, he still had no tops for the tables, he related. Lifting the linen cloth to reveal it's particle board-tops, Martin said that he ran out and bought a few sheets of the material and he and his helpers hurriedly cut out circles and bolted them to the tables. The club's unusual curved interior is reminiscent of the Art Deco era that swept the country after the Great Depression. Characteristics of that style were elegant curves, soft colors and extravagant fixtures, Martin said. "What it was, it was to take people's mind off the Depression, the bad times." he said. Martin has got an education from his work in restoring the building. "This has been one of the finest learning experiences in business that I've ever had," he said. "It's almost like having a master's program without going to school for it." Why is he betting on downtown when so many other merchants would like to move out? "I believe if you have the imagination and you have a certain product of service that people have a need for, they'll go just about anywhere for it as long as it's quality," he replied. He is confident his investment in the building will pay off. "It will just take time," he said, "and I'm pretty much a patient person."