Opened in April 1940, Club Bali was a popular nightclub in West Philly.
This outdoor neon sign beckoned passersby inside (hat-tip Hidden City Philadelphia).
The Ink Spots performed here throughout the 1940s. Their setlist typically included their smash hit, “If I Didn’t Care.”
Circa 1953, Club Bali was taken over by Norma Sockel whose brother-in-law, Herb Spivak, owned the legendary Showboat.
Kaliner’s Little Rathskeller was popular in the 1940s. The Ink Spots were a club favorite.
In 1993, former press agent Sam Bushman recalled:
The Ink Spots were just starting. Their record “If I Didn’t Care” made them superstars overnight. But they were committed to come back to the Rathskeller several times more at their old price.
Little Rathskeller was located at the corner of Broad and Spruce.
All That Philly Jazz 