Natoka, a rapper and author from Brooklyn, “wouldn’t normally do the inner-city thing,” she said. But there she was, sliding into a booth at Humphrey’s East beside her sister and the historic watering hole’s new owner, Joyce Bellamy.
“When I heard Joyce was taking over the place, I wanted to check it out,” she said from behind dark, oversized sunglasses. “I know Joyce draws an eclectic, classy crowd. I like the vibe of her Pearl Lounge.”
Bellamy said she’s thinking about recruiting Natoka to sing at Humphrey’s. “Or maybe we’ll even host a book-signing for her.”
Humphrey’s East, on the corner of Humphrey and East Streets in Jocelyn Square, almost became a deli or pizzeria. Then Bellamy showed up to buy it.
As the restaurant/bar’s new owner as of Monday, Bellamy has big plans. It’ll be a balancing act—keep it busy and lively while also injecting a “family feel.”
“Staying true to the bar and grill style of the place is important to us,” she said. “We want it to be a neighborhood-friendly spot.”
Bellamy, who already owns two nightspots in town, has spent the past few weeks getting Humphrey’s ready for a reopening with a slightly altered image. She said she hopes to attract a more diverse, older crowd with live jazz and R&B, karaoke and other events.
The wood-lined bar certainly has an old school feel to it. “The restaurant has a lot of affectionate clientele,” Bellamy said as regulars ordered lunch one afternoon last week. “And we want to keep them coming.”
Cosmetic Changes, More Music
Humphrey’s has been in the neighborhood for 30 years since its renovation and revival. (It was a storied watering hole going back to Prohibition.)
“We’re just talking cosmetic changes, new coats of paint, touching up the floors, that sort of thing,” Bellamy said. “And we want to get more events going.” In that spirit, Bellamy hired an event manager, Herman Ham.
Uma Ramiah Photo
Bellamy and Ham outside of Humphrey’s
“Yeah, we’ll be be putting together a few events,” he said, “but we don’t want to lose the integrity of the restaurant.”
They’re looking to expand Humphrey’s happy hour, possibly from 4 to 9 p.m. “And maybe on Mondays we’ll move from happy hour to a live band around 8 o’clock,” Ham said.
They may also pump up an existing karaoke night on Thursdays, bring in more live music (from jazz, R&B to top 40’s), and pull in some comedy acts. It’s all in effort to create a safe environment with good entertainment aimed at families, Bellamy said.
“We’re looking to draw people from all over New Haven,” she noted. “We want to keep working to increase the diversity of the place, and keep it safe.”
Bellamy said she doesn’t expect the kind of traffic that would require much security; she emphasized that the place will remain a restaurant. Humphrey’s has become a popular spot drawing people from throughout the region; on occasion it has been the scene of violent incidents at closing time on weekends.
“With the way things are going in New Haven, we want people to know they can come out and enjoy safe, mature entertainment,” Ham added. “We’re maintaining standards here.”
Kenya Williams, who lives across the street from Humphrey’s, was with her sister Natoka on last week’s visit.
Natoka, for one, has an act that tends toward the salacious. Click here for a sample. Bellamy later said she would not feature this aspect of Natoka’s material at her Humphrey’s. (See more of her response in the comments section below.)
“I’ve lived across from Humphrey’s for 20 years, and I’ve seen it transform,” Kenya Williams said. Back in the day, it was a high traffic area with tons of customers. There aren’t as many people around these days, she said, but she like the atmosphere of the place. And the food.
“They’re big on hospitality here,” she said.
Taking Over
Bellany began inquiring about the place six months ago when she heard Krista Macintosh was interested in selling—after five years of ownership.
“Joyce was interested in keeping the place about the same,” said Pasquale Scalise, Macintosh’s husband. “We had other offers but we decided to go with her for that reason.”
Other prospective buyers were looking to turn the place into a deli or pizzeria.
“We’ll miss this place, but it’s time for us to move on,” he said. They’re recently married, expecting a baby, and looking to move on.
“It’s about making next steps,” he said.
Enter Bellamy — a realtor turned club owner. She owns Butta J’s Cafe on Henry Street and Pearl Lounge on East Street, not far from Humphrey’s East. She plans to keep most of the staff on, but she might change the rules.
“Everyone’s got a different management style,” she said. “But I have a zero-tolerance for excuses, lateness, bar theft, that sort of thing.”
She called it a new venture, saying that while her other spots serve food, that’s not their main focus.
Humphrey’s East won’t close during the ownership transition. Bellamy is hosting a grand opening event on the evening of Monday, April 11. “I want people to come down that day with their families, get some free wings, and listen to some great music.”