R.I.P., Knockers

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Knockers was the bar with the Hooters-sounding name on Foothill Boulevard in far western Rancho Cucamonga, adjacent to the old railroad bridge. It’s the part of Rancho that seems like Upland, but isn’t.

A reader recently e-mailed the following:

“I don’t know if this is breaking news, not like storm watch or anything, but Knockers ‘Restaurant’ & Bar on Foothill in ‘Cucaland’ is empty. They had another location in Montclair on Arrow Route one block east of Central, but not sure what the deal is there.”

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  • Matt

    First Peppers and now Knockers.

    Rancho Cucamonga has destroyed all its traditional nightlife. Peppers Bar was well known by the Inland Empire for decades. When the new freeway was opening, the bar was excited about future business. When Peppers was at its peak I thought they might have to knock the walls down to the neighboring businesses to expand or add a second floor. LOL! But the city did not like this business at all and quickly reminded the owners of this bar that Rancho Cucamonga is Disneyland and there are no bars allowed in this park.

    Well, Peppers’ business was destroyed, the city’s mission accomplished. By forcing the bar to close at 10 the entire customer base vanished. I hope Peppers’ owners sue the city for the destruction of their decades-old business.

    It’s so funny to me that the little old traditional old prudish City of Upland allows strip clubs, dance clubs, bars, sports bars, and lounges while the young and hip City of Rancho Cucamonga does not allow bars or dance clubs within city limits. Only restaurant bars are allowed…and they must be corporate chain names only such as Yard, Cheesecake, and Friday.

    So Rancho Cucamonga, with an average median age of 32, known for its wealth, vanity, and upward mobility cannot have a dance club or bar….. but the city of Upland known for its prude and elderly population allows strip clubs?

    Knockers: In an episode of the Simpsons, Homer goes to a bar called Knockers (Hooters). This always reminded me of our beloved bar next to the tracks on ol’ Route 66. But when I saw the redevelopment plans for this portion of the city I knew Knockers would not be there for much longer. The bar was to be demolished for mixed use development and street widening. Many other underutilized businesses near the bar will also be torn down and replaced with condos, retail and office. The girls’ butts hanging out of their shorts will truly be missed. What a mean Republican town.

    [*Sniff* Thanks for the elegy for the passing of these two working-class icons, Matt. Regarding Upland, while the city is more nightlife-friendly, I believe all the strip and dance clubs were outside city limits originally and were grandfathered in when the property was annexed a few years ago. -- DA]

  • Linda Frost

    Is this a knock knock joke? Does anyone remember when, during one of its previous incarnations, it was a bar with a miniature golf course? I think it was in its antediluvian days — before the 1969 flood.

  • Warren

    I remember when it was just a miniature golf course, then a bar with weeds growing on the course.