THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 1996 TAG: 9606050120
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 83 lines
PARTNERS IS small and friendly, a second home for Yogi Bear, Charlie Brown, Danny Thomas, Tootie, Betty, Betty and Betty.
Yogi, also known as Paul Bryan, is lead singer for Southern Blend, a country band that performs often at the North Main Street night club.
Brown and Thomas are regular customers, as are 64-year-old Tootie Babb and his trio of 60ish Betties.
Wife Betty accompanies him to the club on Saturday nights - ``because,'' Tootie said, ``she don't dance, except waltzes.'' Such tunes are rare at Partners.
Betty No. 2 is Betty Barnes, his almost nightly dancing partner. Like Tootie, she walks about 1 1/2-miles to their favorite club. ``I dance everything,'' she said. ``Even the hula.'' Such music is very rare at Partners.
Betty No. 3 keeps Tootie company off and on. He and the Betty people, all friends, always sit at the same table - next to the club dance floor.
They join other customers for slow dances, often having the floor to themselves for the uptempo pieces.
Every now and then, Tootie sits it out and Betty Barnes goes it alone.
The happy couple are two of the six or seven people who show up at Partners every night, quite a feat since the club is the only one in town that is open seven days a week.
Another nightly regular, Dottie Journigan of Chesapeake, said, ``I tried other clubs, but I always come back here. This is home.
``Everybody's friendly - the people working here, drinking here, eating here. They empty the ash trays regularly.''
Those little snuffers do get a workout. Often, you can't tell if ``wanna light?'' is an invitation to smoke or to drink a low calorie beer.
In addition to the liquid refreshment there are low cost full-course meals - lunch and supper - food so good, said co-owner Jackie Parmeter, ``people often give us tips for the cook.''
She is Mazie Woodley, a preacher's wife, purveyor of most things culinary at Partners.
``Everything here is homemade and outstanding,'' said Parmeter, who is as tireless as the business - a tire store - that once occupied the building at 729 North Main. It later became a mattress store.
The club seats about 150 people, and there's room for standees and bar sitters.
The building became a nightclub two years ago when former Navy people Parmeter, an Ohioan, and her fiancee, Brian Mason, an Alabaman, decided to become Partners partners.
He works for the government, but she is at the restaurant/club every day, serving as ``waitress, part-time cook, bartender, bouncer'' - and the one who hits the television set every time the picture goes crazy.
Another waitress is Sara Blackburn, USN. During the day she is an operations specialist aboard the submarine tender, Emory S. Land.
``I live in Chesapeake,'' she said, ``but all my friends are in Suffolk.''
Friendship is a key to Partners' success.
``I come for the people,'' said Thyri Thomas, who usually shows up about five nights a week. ``You walk in the door - you know everyone. I don't necessarily come for the bands.''
Bands play Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
``I love all my bands,'' Parmeter said. ``The regulars are Sumpthin' Special, Southern Blend, 32 South and Wooden Nickel.''
All are country. And, there is High Tide, a limbo band which, she said, ``I'll keep bringing back till they get known.''
The Partners softball team is well known in the area, six trophies proving the success of the athletes, a mix of employees and customers.
``We're the only club that sponsors a softball team,'' Parmeter said.
Some of the customers enjoy the pool table, some quite succesfully.
The club sponsors two pool teams, one of which went to Vegas a month ago.
``We won some area competition and used the money for the trip,'' Parmeter said. ``Out of 102 teams, we were 33.''
Most of the Partners people, though, come for the music and the friends.
``I start here Saturdays,'' said Carol Holland, ``then, I go to Deb's Roadhouse in Ivor.''
Most of the customers stay put, though, including Mike Powell, who proclaims, ``this is a good establishment. I go to all the clubs. This is my favorite.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Betty Barnes and Tootie Babb dance to band music at Partners.
Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Betty Barnes and Tootie Babb dance to band music at Partners. by CNB