View Full Version : Memories of Molly Murphy's



Jay
02-18-2005, 05:15 AM
Does anybody here remember Molly Murphy's House of Fine Repute? On the inside of the Business Section of today's Oklahoman there is an article about the death of the owner.

The article mentions the fall of the Molly's was blamed on a dispute with KFOR-TV.


I really miss this place because it was a birthday tradition for all of my family. I liked the idea that they spared nobody when it came to harassment and pure embarrassment.

I remember the servers leading customers around the place chanting "He's got to go to the bathroom." and if you managed to get past the servers and make to the restroom as soon as you walked out you would here." Ladies and Gentleman we have a sneaker let's give them a round of applause". The servers were just down right hilarious and made Molly's a great place to eat.


Who could forget the1968 Jaguar salad bar. I remember when they played the old disco song "Car Wash", everyone was invited to do the car wash dance around the salad bar. This is one of those places that I will never forget. I wish it was still in business.

mranderson
02-18-2005, 05:29 AM
In the mid eighties, a group of friends said they wanted to take me to a Gentleman's club for my birthday. I never go to them anymore after witnessing a homicide in the parking lot of one. So they decided to take me to Molly Murphy's.

One of them had arrainged a special event with one of the waitresses. A lap dance. Clean, of course. I was totally surprised. I later learned the waitress was the sister of one of my friends. She had seen me and wanted to meet me. After that night, she and I dated for two years... Until I was forced by the economy to move to Dallas.

What a birthday. What a lasting gift.

:congrats:

okcpulse
02-18-2005, 08:31 AM
There is a feature article about Molly Murphy's in the Oklahoma Gazette. Unfortunately, the article was printed some six months ago. If anyone would like to read the article, try contacting the Oklahoma Gazette and ask them to pull up a copy in the archives... if they keep the copies of course.

Proactive Volunteer
02-18-2005, 10:12 AM
Do you remember the California Grapes singing "Heard It Through The Grapevine" wearing extra large green Glad trash bags and white gloves?

mranderson
02-18-2005, 10:26 AM
Do you remember the California Grapes singing "Heard It Through The Grapevine" wearing extra large green Glad trash bags and white gloves?

Not at Molly Murphy's.

Jay
02-18-2005, 11:48 AM
http://www.newsok.com/article/1426791/?template=business/main


Above is the link to the article I mentioned........... I don't remember the california rasins; however, I do remember the new Temptations thing they would do. They would pick volunteers from the audience in the lounge area. Then they would lipsync a Temptations song.

Keith
02-18-2005, 05:44 PM
Yes, I remember Molly Murphy's too. When my wife and I went to celebrate an anniversary, we were met at the door by a pirate. We went inside and was directed to a booth....which was real close to the Jaguar...er...I mean salad bar. We had a moose as a waiter, and it was real comical to watch all of these characters walk around.

Like oklacity75 said, it was a place to have fun and get embarrassed. It seemed there was always a "potty train" going through the restaurant.

My wife and I were sitting in the booth, when the moose stuck his head into our booth, literally. He almost couldn't get his head out.:LolLolLol

I do remember some kind of controversy with KFOR TV, but I can't remember what it was. Whatever is was, it had such a big impact, that they had to close the restaurant.

It's sad to hear that the owner died. I sure have missed that restaurant.

floater
02-18-2005, 10:08 PM
I heard their fried peaches were gooooooood.

Patrick
02-19-2005, 12:27 AM
I thought I'd go ahead and post the article here. Unfortunately, the Oklahoman sometimes removes their articles from their database. This way we can refer back to it:
--------------
"Ex-employees, fans of Molly Murphy's mourn late owner
By Tricia Pemberton
Business Writer

Longtime Oklahoma City restaurateur Robert L. "Bob" Tayar died Sunday after a car accident near his home in La Quinta, Calif.
Tayar, 72, was president of Bob Tayar Enterprises and owned and operated many restaurants in Oklahoma. Tayar's best known enterprise was perhaps Molly Murphy's House of Fine Repute on S Meridian in Oklahoma City. He ran the restaurant for 20 years.

Molly Murphy's was known for dressing its wait staff in costumes and encouraging them to insult and embarrass customers.

Tayar's career in Oklahoma ended after an incident involving KFOR-TV Channel 4. The channel accused Tayar of assaulting a reporter and cameraman and videotaped his arrest by Oklahoma City police. Tayar then filed a lawsuit against the station.

Later he sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and closed Molly Murphy's, blaming the restaurant's demise on the television station's broadcast. In 2001, an Oklahoma City jury found KFOR-TV guilty of defamation against Tayar and awarded him $700,000.

After Molly Murphy's closed in 1996, Tayar moved to the Palm Springs area of California.

Oklahoma City resident Craig Alleman, 42, worked at Molly Murphy's in the '80s and said many of the former staff members are planning a reunion in the summer.

"That was probably the best job I've ever had," Alleman said. "I got to dress up as Bullwinkle Moose. I got to insult people and I got paid to do it. Where else could that happen?"

Alleman said the restaurant boomed at the same time oil was flowing freely through Oklahoma's economy. He said the restaurant was mentioned in Playboy magazine and for a while drew a national crowd.

The now-programmer for Mercury Insurance Group said he learned of Tayar's death through an e-mail Thursday afternoon.

"Say what you will about Bob, but he did bring us all together. I've got nothing by fond memories of Bob and that restaurant," Alleman said.

Alleman is in the process of setting up a Web site for former Molly Murphy's employees -- mollymurphys.com. "

xrayman
02-19-2005, 05:19 PM
Good memories of Molly Murphy's! Had a surprise birthday party there once and no way could that night ever be forgotten. Great fun. So many restaurants I think of on occasion. In the heyday of 39th street there were some good ones that won't be forgotten. Ann's Chicken Fry, if you haven't been in a while, is a city treasure. It's as much a museum as it is a restaurant.

Patrick
02-19-2005, 09:29 PM
I was just a kid when I went, but here are some memories I had. It was quite a wild place. You definitely didn't want to ask someone where the bathroom was....the waiters would make a big announcement that you had to go poddy. Or with birthdays they'd make everything into a big production. You definitely didn't want to go if you were afraid of being the center of attention. Molly Murphy's had character. I don't think there's anything quite like it in OKC today.

Oh I forgot, didn't they have a Jaguar under their salad bar? Something like that.

Cool place.

Proactive Volunteer
02-22-2005, 08:42 AM
At my mother's 65 birthday, she, my brother and I all were at the bar dressed with three waitresses in big green trash bags and white gloves dancing to Heard It On The Grapevine..making fools of ourselves.

It was definitely Molly Murphy's as we visited there about 4 or 5 times a year. It was so embarrassing that I have been scared for life with the memory!
HA!!

robinplace
04-10-2006, 11:23 AM
Well, speaking of Molly Murphy's, we are looking for all ex-employees for a huge reunion in September, 2006. Please let me know if you know of anyone that worked at Molly's so that I can get the information to them. We are hoping for a big turnout and look forward to seeing each other again. For some of us, it's been 20 years since we worked there. Your help will certainly be appreciated!

Pete
04-10-2006, 11:58 AM
For those who haven't seen this, there is an entire website devoted to Molly's nostalgia:

http://hometown.aol.com/stoneforst/stonemain/mollys.htm

Proactive Volunteer
04-10-2006, 03:09 PM
Thanks for posting this link! There has been a lot of time put into this site.

THANKS:tweeted:

jbrown84
04-10-2006, 03:50 PM
I was under the impression that Molly Murphy's was in the building that housed Johnnie's on NW Expressway until recently.

Where on S. Meridian was it?

Pete
04-10-2006, 04:03 PM
It was just south of Sheplers on the same side of the street, between The Kettle and Wendys.

Not sure what is there now as the building has been torn down.