The owner of Kathy's Spirits and Games, previously called Kathy's Pub, has noticed the nervous looking patron at the door, trying to scoot by the bouncer by claiming to know her or be a relative. Most of the time, it's just a story. "The previous owner heard it, too, when it was Otto's," Chafos says. "Someone would claim they were a friend or a relative of Otto. The problem was, Otto was the owner's dog."

Hmmm ...

Jerry Zubay, co-owner of several Rochester restaurants including Henry Wellington's, notes that he'll occasionally see a letter from someone with a complaint, who claims to be good friends with Mr. Wellington.

He'll consider the complaint, but he also might chuckle a little. You see, Henry Wellington was a name he and his business partner, Mike Currie, created. Lesson?

Don't claim you know the owner. Try another ploy.

With that mind, here are a few short stories about the stories behind the names of some of Rochester's establishments:

Bilotti's Italian Village
304 First Ave. S.W.

Who's Bilotti? Pete Bilotti, who opened the restaurant in 1954. Why the name? Karla Sperry, the fifth owner of the restaurant, who's run the place since 1995, says the place is so well-known as Bilotti's that she wouldn't change the name.

Cheap Charlie's
11 Fifth St. N.W.

Who's Cheap Charlie? Charlie Clark, who owned the place with his wife, Vi. Why the name? The Clarks began running the 14-stool Ideal Cafe in 1955. The name was later changed to the 400 Cafe, acknowledging the nearby railroad. Noted for his frugality, the restaurant became Cheap Charlie's in 1968 after a $200 bet that he wouldn't change it, says David Tran, the current owner, who began his career as a dishwasher at Cheap Charlie's. Clark died in 1999.

Henry Wellington's
216 First Ave. S.W.

Who's Henry Wellington? No one. Why the name? The Henry Africa restaurant in San Francisco was what originally prompted owners Jerry Zubay and Mike Currie to consider the name, but they blended it with part of the menu. "We offered a lot of Wellington dishes, so we opted to use that last name," Zubay says. "It's got a comfortable, but sophisticated feel, just like our restaurant." The place opened just after Rochester's big flood in 1978. The place was the Bank Restaurant before becoming the combination of Wellington's and Newt's.

John's Family Restaurant
6 First Ave. N.W.

Who's John? John Cokinos, the original owner. Why the name? Bart Patel and his brother, Ash, bought the restaurant almost three years ago. The Greek and American restaurant was already established and well-known, so Bart said they didn't want to change the name. "Why change a good thing?"

John Hardy's Bar-B-Q
1940 S. Broadway and 929 W. Frontage Road N.W.

Who's John Hardy? Original owner of the restaurant, who claimed to be a vegetarian, according to lore. Why the name? Hardy, who was from Buffalo, N.Y., opened his barbecue place in 1972 at Third Avenue Southeast near the Olmsted County Fairgrounds. He passed away in 1986.

Kathy's Spirits and Games,
(previously called Kathy's Pub)
307 S. Broadway

Who's Kathy? Co-owner Kathy Chafos Why the name? Long known as the Hollywood, the name changed to Otto's with a new owner and then changed again to Kathy's Pub when Kathy and her husband, Gus, bought the bar a little over seven years ago. "My husband named it. I wasn't wild about it at first, but it's okay now."

Michaels Restaurant
15 S. Broadway

Who's Michael? Michael G. Pappas, a Greek immigrant. Why the name? Started in 1951 by the four sons of the late Michael G. Pappas. The sons: James, Paul, Charles and George, developed their downtown restaurant as the place to go for locals and out-of-towners. It still is. Check their wall of fame, if you need further proof. Charles' brothers have passed away, but the restaurant is still run by several generations of Pappases.

Newt's
216 First Ave. S.W.

Who's Newt? Newton Holland, owner of Holland's Cafeteria and Bakery, which occupied the site from 1927-1958. Also noted for his work beautifying the downtown through a tree planting project. (Read the plaque in front of the old City Hall). Holland, an artist with an annual art award named for him, died in 1963. Why the name? Owner Jerry Zubay says it was a tip of the hat to the original owner. Newt's became the more casual sandwiches-and-beer place upstairs from Henry Wellington's.

Roscoe's Great Bar-B-Que & Burgers
Cedarwood Mall and 603 Fourth St. S.E.

Who's Roscoe? Steve Ross, owner.

Why the name? Ross was nicknamed Roscoe while working at the Cork and Cleaver in Golden Valley, Minn. John (Lou) Nylen, and Jerry Marcy, two friends from his days at the Cork and Cleaver, still argue about who called him Roscoe first. "In 1981, I was opening this little rootbeer stand that had been an A&W," Ross says. "I was trying to think of a name for the place and thought of Roscoe's Rootbeer and Ribs. It was an automatic." Ross admits it took a few years to master the barbecue. "Our corn dogs, hamburgers and onion rings really carried us in the early years."

Zadeos Pizza
1021 15th Ave. S.E. and 303 Elton Hills Dr. N.W.

Who's Zadeo? A name created by owners Darren Timm and Steve Fieck when the store opened in 1986.

Why the name? The restaurant originally sold pizza and videos, so they blended the two names, borrowing ZA from pizza and DEO from video. They stopped selling videos in 1992.

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