Artichoke Joe's Casino

Artichoke Joe's Casino is a card club in San Bruno, California. The club is owned by Dennis Sammut and managed, in part, by Ron Cox, a former Foster City councilman.[1]

Artichoke Joe's Casino
The casino in December 2020
Address 659 Huntington Avenue
San Bruno, California
Opening date1916
Casino typecard club
OwnerDennis Sammut
Coordinates37°37′39″N 122°24′39″W
WebsiteOfficial website

History

The establishment was a family founded and family owned business since 1916. The one-room Joe's Pool Parlor switched names to Artichoke Joe's in 1921, becoming a permanent fixture in San Bruno sporting life. Joseph Sammut opened his pool parlor and phone exchange in Al LoReaux's former plumbing shop. Most calls concerned horse races. Joe accepted any wager, no matter how large. Asked how he would pay off if he lost a big bet, he replied, "In artichoke leaves," hence the name. Still owned by the Sammut family, Artichoke Joe's is one of the city's oldest businesses.[2]

The casino came to fame in the 1990s during construction of the SFO BART extension because the owner spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in an attempt to both derail the extension entirely and to profit from it.[3][4]

References
  1. Silverfarb, Bill (3 March 2011). "Feds raid casino in San Bruno". The Daily Journal. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  2. About. ArtichokeJoes.com. 2011. Retrieved 11-06-2011.
  3. It's up, up and away for BART SFO extension. The City plays key role in getting San Bruno gaming hall to drop its fight. Rachel Gordon. San Francisco Chronicle. 17-11-1997. Retrieved 11-06-2011.
  4. WASHINGTON INSIGHT -- Artichoke Joe's Almost Got in the Way of BART. Carolyn Lochhead. 22-09-96 Retrieved 11-06-2011.


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