New Haven Independent

Posted by: John | May 13, 2009 8:42 AM

Thank God exclusivity and pomposity remain alive! Without Morey's, that undesirable clientele would have to patronize (and I do mean patronize) public restaurants. Some of "those people" might have been seated next to me on occasion. That would be unacceptable.

Posted by: Townie | May 13, 2009 11:17 AM

Close it down and move the BOE offices to that address.

Posted by: sandstorm | May 13, 2009 12:17 PM

Mory's is an "institution" and a tourist attraction. Many of its members return to New Haven, patronizing shops, hotels and restaurants. It is memorialized in song and represents a legacy for New Haven and Yale. It adds to the vitality of the Broadway neighborhood.

Mory's is a source of employment and enjoyment for many in the Greater New Haven area. The acapella singing groups utilize it for practice and return the favor by providing a concert to benefit United Way at Battell Chapel.

Posted by: robn | May 13, 2009 1:31 PM

"Ginter said that Mory's is "commonly known as the largest (and cheapest) private club in the world," with over 15,000 (skinflint)members." emphasis added by me

Posted by: Beansie's Mom | May 13, 2009 3:06 PM

Dear Townie,

The BOE offices wouldn't fit there. Where would parents of NH Children park?

Come on, It's on the same street as TOADS.

Some institutions should be able to last out the current economic recession/depression.

Posted by: blue dog democrat | May 13, 2009 8:43 PM

I'm not a Yalie, nor ever been to Mory's, but I find it a shame that an "institution" such as this, that does not take public funds, nor rely on government handouts, gets such shameful comments. If it was on the gov't dole or anything other than associated with Yale, there would be protest marches, complete with signage.

I'd personally like it to reopen so that I may be able to go there, once, to say I've done so. Why many of you post hateful comments for no reason speaks to you and not the club.

Posted by: robn | May 14, 2009 8:51 AM

BDD,

Mory's closed because its life members (presumably well heeled membership) refused to pony up dues to keep it running. Its not just an insular, self-inflicted wound. The behavior of their membership affects the many people who are employed at the club.

If they don't get it together soon I promise NHI readers that I will post their secret recipe for welsh rarebit.

Posted by: Blue Dog Dem | May 14, 2009 12:46 PM

ROBN,

I understand that most of the members are cheap bastards, but again, it is their club and they can choose to let it go under or not. It is unfortunate that it affects local residents' employment, but it still doesn't cost us taxpayers either way. I still would like to have a drink at the bar, to say that I've been there, but wouldn't want to subsidize the place just to do so.

BTW, rarebit doesn't sound very appetizing, so keep the recipe for yourself.

Posted by: robn | May 14, 2009 3:41 PM

BDD,

Its actually just toast and cheese. Yummy and great for your arteries!

Posted by: William Kurtz | May 14, 2009 5:08 PM

On a tangential note, I've never understood the urge to do something "just to say I've done it." There's a long list of things I've never done. I would like to do lots of them, but usually there's some reason beyond checking it off some kind of list. Some of the others, I'm proud to say I haven't done and likely won't ever do.

I've never had a drink at Mory's either, but I can't imagine a drink there has anything that a drink at any one of the other neighborhood institutions lacks.

Posted by: teale | May 14, 2009 5:48 PM

most food in life comes down to cheese and carbs in one form or another...and I LOVE IT ALL!

Posted by: truthtopower | May 14, 2009 7:34 PM

Last year I attended a fund raiser luncheon at Mory's and enjoyed seeing a place I'd heard about in song, but had never seen.

It's a lovely, small place and the wait staff were mostly student age, professional and good natured. We gave them a round of applause at the end of the luncheon and they seemed touched by the recognition.

It's nice to visit these historic spots, the Graduate Club being another, but exclusivity does breed resentments.

Perhaps all the exclusive spots associated with Yale could have an Open House day and invite the townies in. The Yale Museum of Art does it and its a great assemblage of people.

Hey, this is New Haven. You can be creative.

Posted by: abg | May 15, 2009 1:39 AM

welsh rarebit is not just "toast and cheese" -- it's toast and cheese COOKED IN BEER...i.e. all the necessary food groups

Posted by: blue dog democrat | May 15, 2009 7:53 AM

Mr. Kurtz,

From my previous posts on this site, I've made clear my passion for history and Mory's obviously is steeped in it. So if I am able to have a drink there, I will. It won't be something I post on my tombstone, but if the place is brought up in conversation, at least I can chime in.

Living in New Haven, many of the residents have friends or family that have ties to Yale and therefore could have, if they actually wanted to, gone to Mory's by asking to be brought there. I don't know of any club that doesn't allow anyone to visit prior to joining. So its not all that exclusive, and shouldn't really be considered as such.

To be a member of the Graduate Club all you need is to have graduated from a college or university. That is not that exclusive. It just comes down to wanting to be a member. People shouldn't resent others from wanting to be in a club that they could freely join.

I've had drinks in most of the other local establishments, and they are no different than my being in an Applebees in Topeka. I can't think of one I like to go to, except the Owl Shop, that has any atmosphere.

Posted by: robn | May 15, 2009 8:49 AM

ABG,

ok...if we're gonna drop the gloves, here it is...from The Complete Book of Cheese by Bob Brown;

Yale College Welsh Rabbit (Moriarty's)

1 jigger of beer
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon mustard
1 1/2 cups rated or shaved cheese

Pour the jigger of beer into "a low Saucepan", dash on the seasonings, add the cheese and stir unremittingly, moistening from time to time with more beer, a pony or two at a time.
When creamy, pour over buttered toast (2 slices for this amount) and serve with still more beer.

There are two types of post-graduate Rabbit hunters: Yale, as above, with beer both in the rabbit and with it; and the other featured in the Stieff Recipe, which prefers leaving it out of the Rabbit, but taps a keg to drink with it.

The ancient age of Moriarty's campus classic is registered by the use of pioneer black pepper in place of white, which is often used today and is thought more sophisticated by some than the red cayenne of Rector's Naughty Nineties Chafing Dish Rabbit...

This actually doesn't tell us much since the type of beer, cheese, and mustard is the key to the recipe. Oh well.

Posted by: jawbone | May 15, 2009 11:35 AM

To me, Mory's operated under a poor business model for too long. Bad food, false exclusivity, no point-of-sale charging for the meal. They have a GREAT brand and should reopen as a public institution. C'mon this is 2009. That exclusive club crap when down years ago.
BTW, talk about exclusive attitude? I've gotten WAY more at Louis' Lunch and Sally's Appiza on Wooster. I don't hear anybody crying about those joints. Totally 'CT Style', baby.

Posted by: Blue Dog Dem | May 15, 2009 1:53 PM

ROBN,

no wonder they went under

JAWBONE

I agree. Its the type of place that should be open to the public, and the public's curiosity might actually let it stay open.

Posted by: jawbone | May 15, 2009 3:26 PM

Blue Dog,
If it were open to the public then people might stop pouring their town & gown fueled hate on Mory's. Its a charming place. The only thing to hate is their mushy food.
Its also got this reputation as the black/white slave/plantation owner thing that I feel is totally underserved. This perception is fueled by their bogus exclusivity. Hell, at least Mory's (and by extension, Yale, hire a lot of minorities.) I'm willing to bet I would never see a black, unionized person working at Louie's Lunch or Sally's, earning a living wage. 'Nuff said.

Posted by: Rachel | May 15, 2009 7:10 PM

I just have to ask -- does Mory's pay taxes? Or, is it tax-exempt as are most of Yale properties?

By definition, limiting the type of people who may join a private club to college graduates is a classist act. A widely accepted definition of upper middle class = college graduates (Gilbert, Hickey and others). Many people in a democratic society bridle against classism. I know I do.

Posted by: blue dog democrat | May 16, 2009 8:42 AM

"A widely accepted definition of upper middle class = college graduates (Gilbert, Hickey and others)." You've got to be joking. I would venture that most of the people that post/read this site are college grads, but how many consider themselves upper middle class?

Also, once Obama gives everyone free college education, we'll have to figure out another way to be exclusive.

Posted by: robn | May 16, 2009 9:21 AM

RACHEL,

I used to think that the United States was a meritocracy until that nincompoop George W Bush got into the White House (twice) after having destroyed every business he ever got near. Oh well.

Posted by: robn | May 16, 2009 11:35 AM

Heck, a modicum of democratic exclusivity can be retained by room reservation.

The directors of Mory's really need to hop in their cars and drive to Boston to see how historic gravitas can be parlayed into a successful business strategy.

http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/

Daniel Webster would approve.

Posted by: Rachel | May 17, 2009 4:10 PM

Not all college graduates have taken Sociology 101; there is a great deal of unconsciousness about social class in the United States, and in New Haven, and "at the tables down at Mory's" -- just as there once was (and in some people still is) unconsciousness about race. It still might be real, even if its unconscious.

Great case in point: meritocracy is a classic upper middle class construct. There are lots of very hard-working, highly ethical, very bright, very poor people. Only if you're unconsciously middle class do you find that surprising.

I do think that tax-exempt properties should provide value to the community at large, not some segment who thinks they've "earned" it.

Posted by: Blue Dog Dem | May 18, 2009 2:40 PM

Rachel,

I have no idea what "unconsciously" middle class means, nor how it really pertains to Mory's or myself. I am extremely conscious that I am middle class but do not consider myself better than my neighbor nor anyone else. If I so choose to join a club, that is open to many others who choose not to join, that does not make me a proponent of meritocracy nor racism. Just someone who likes to have a familiar atmosphere to relax/eat/etc.

Your other point re: taxes, I think Mory's (Yale) does pay property taxes because it is my understanding that all Yale buildings that do not pertain to academics have to pay its proportional share. But with the push from commercial to residential, its probably no where near what it should be.

I agree that tax-free properties should provide a community benefit, but believe most do not. Most receive federal and state funding, use the money to buy property and then don't pay taxes on the property, further increasing the costs to every tax payer.

BTW, does Planned Parenthood pay property taxes on the building that was given them?

Posted by: robn | May 18, 2009 8:48 PM

RACHEL,

So meritocracy is a middle class construct? (which I take from your tone, you mean a fantasy)? Then how come we had a president who was raised by a single mother of modest means and we now, merely a few decades after there were still lynchings in the US, have a president of mixed race?

Posted by: Rachel | May 19, 2009 8:40 PM

Dear Robn, I meant no disrespect or negative tone. By "construct," what I meant was a complex idea. I was not arguing for or against meritocracy. I like the idea of meritocracy, but I don't think it's working for everyone. I think your remarks about our current & past president reflect that concern, too.

Dear Blue Dog Dem, I meant no disrespect to you or anyone else. In using the phrase, "unconsciously upper middle class," I was responding to your previous remark: "I would venture that most of the people that post/read this site are college grads, but how many consider themselves upper middle class?"

There is a definition of upper middle class used by many sociologists & it includes higher education. What I meant by "unconscious" was that many people who are upper middle class don't see themselves that way. And, there are values & social norms associated with the various social classes (not my opinion, decades of sociological research).

I did check a bit into Mory's Association, which is a nonprofit organization, and you are right: they paid $10,780 in property & sewer taxes in 2007. I also looked into Planned Parenthood, another nonprofit org, and did not see property taxes paid in 2007.

Thanks for the conversation.

Posted by: blue dog democrat | May 20, 2009 6:57 PM

Rachel,

Thanks for clarifying. One of the things that draws me to this site is the "conversation." Usually I pick up one or two things from the articles and now have learned something new, thanks to you. So my thanks to you as well.

BDD