Rooftop view of The Triangle Building area in Belize City, long ago
The Triangle Building was unique not only because of its unusual shape but also for where it was located. It took up the entire lot and strangely the shape of the lot is the shape of the building. Regent Street west on one side & Waterlane on the other side. It was at the foot of the swing bridge on the Southside part going west. As you turn off the bridge it was the first building you met. Although this building was known as the Triangle Building, it actually had four sides. Great breakfast meeting place. Triangle belonged to the Mehlado family.
Before it was demolished it housed two Bars, including the infamous Triangle Bar, one upstairs and one downstairs. At one time it housed a cigarette factory which produced a cigarette which was named Thumbs Up. The Imperial band practiced upstairs. There was a hotel there named La Minerva Hotel.
The building immediately behind the Drug Store used to housed a restaurant named Mom's Triangle Inn & Restaurant. This restaurant was very popular with both Tourists and Locals.
It was the original outlet for Tux Fry Chicken, downstairs facing the swing bridge. That Brown window in front was pushed up at about 7 at night every night and the it was crowded till 2 or 3 in the morning.
The yellow car is a Plaza Taxi, that car is supposed to be for a guy they called Chicago Slim. Chicago Slim also had a bar a little further down the street on the right hand side. The bar that he ran was located where Merlin's Restaurant is today.
The yellow building with the red roof was the famous Melting Pot Disco.
There was a public water faucet on Duck Lane behind Triangle Bar where folks used to fill their buckets and of course created mischief by throwing little stones through the window.
Upstairs was a club with a carom billiards table. A small bar on the south-eastern corner managed by "Claudie"; a more "respectable " setting in the club.
Ms. Noguera lived in the three storey house in the back (still there). The Nogueras were a successful black family in the early years of Belize.
On the Water Lane side was Bliss Hotel, and on the wall was a painting of a policeman to probably frightened the guys that got drunk in the 60's. The Bliss Hotel also had a swimming pool and a rooftop bar. That building was owned by Raymond Weir. It's to the left of the 3 story building (it's not shown in the picture).
Icilda Jennifer Coye Paredez:
Icilda Jennifer Coye Paredez
I know that building so well Miss Dolly use to sell the nicest waffles from there, I think her name was Anderson. We lived by the bridge across from Georgie August, where the boat man Mr.Joe, & the Bowman family lived. There was a coconut industry downstairs. Down Regent St West was Bamboo Kitchen where Dickie Straugh famous Bambiki Bandula Band use to practice. Bamboo Bay Kitchen was there, but not the bar.
Oh the cook at Bamboo Bay was Alfred Chong. My sister was Godmother to their first child Anita who worked for Radio Belize all her adult life until she retired & went to Canada as I was told & she died.
Frederick Vernon:
Regent Street West at one time held the record for being the area (street) with the most bars in Belize City. I don't believe that there was any area in Belize City, before or after, that held as many bars. The last of these Bars is the Mike's Club. This Club is still operating today. However, there is a for sale sign on it, currently. So perhaps, it might not be around much longer. I believe that today this property is owned by the Agusto Quan family. Nacho Coye & Dickie Gardner had a bar when you crossed the canal bridge. They played some kind of game there. I think it is still there. At one time Mr. Louis Gabourel ran the Bar. Mr. Gabourel lived on Vernon St. and had a lot of sheep in the City. He eventually took his sheep to his farm in Ladyville. His wife was Estell.
Christopher Nesbitt:
Back in the 80s I got invited in to drink some green liquor that tasted like mint. I stopped drinking in 1990s, so not sure what it was, but it was agreeable. It was my only experience with it and I had an enjoyable time.
Charles Hyde:
"Green Ting" or Anisee and Pep (peppermint)
Barbie Brown:
My mom use to work here at both of the bars she ran at 1 point and also had a food spot too at the front .
Icilda Jennifer Coye Paredez:
I know that building so well Miss Dolly use to sell the nicest waffles from there, I think her name was Anderson.We lived by the bridge across from Georgie August, where the boat man Mr.Joe, & the Bowman family lived .There was a coconut industry downstairs. Bamboo Bay Nightclub and Bar was already there. We moved from there around 1956 or 57. Where the central drugstore is & more down before Bliss hotel & also where Bob is at bridge foot belonged to Mr.Melado. There was a tavern there, then my sister in law & husband rented it where they did breakfast & lunch,it was called tourist center. The first place to be named tourist. After they went away it was sold to Babb.
Valentino Vernon:
The pink house is my family's home. My dad was Vincent Vernon, he was a boxer when he was young. My grandparents had a grocery store there on Regent Street West. My grandpop was Chentio. He an my older brother we are currently working on fixing the house it's very old still the same color though it's faded.
Christine Stolf:
There was also a hardware store in the building. My father managed it. I remember as a senior in high school I worked there to earn some money.
Romel Perdomo:
On the other side Travellers liquors offices and Tropical
Bar. 5 bars and one restaurant on that stretch up to the canals side.
Wilhelm T Henry:
The picture is not so old, notice Georgie August Meat Shop already had the cement extension on it.
Faith Babb:
I can never forget as a child how prettifying it was to pass that Triangle Bar. I can still recall the names of some of the frequent patrons that would line the sides. Maybelle, Winnis and Tina, Espadas, Chacaku, Tassarina, Lobo and many others walking through the streets to find their homes.
Chico Young:
The Triangle Bar was the Scene of the Great "Joe Whiteman Fire".
In those Days Bartenders used 2 receive the Strong Rum in Barrels n Mix the Rum behind the Counter of the Bar. The Triangle Bar had the usual drain behind the Bar that allowed any liquid thrown behind the bar just run in2 the drain n emptied outside in2 d drain outside the building.
Rumors has it that Bartender Joe was mixing the rum as usual n some of the Alcohol drained in2 the drain behind the bar n ran in2 the drain outside. A person passing flicked his still lighted cigarette butt in2 the drain outside n unknowingly lit the Strong Alcohol in the drain. It created a fire n the drain n ran back in2 the building 2 it's Original Source. The fire then ignited Mr. Joe n the rest is History.
I was a Pupil at Holy Redeemer Upper at the time n we all crowded at the Window fu watch the Blazing Fire.
I remember when we were going home 4 lunch the Fire was still Raging.