At 319 Wooster Avenue in Akron, Lee Thornton and Bob Swindler ran a music club called the Club Wonder. They were known for allowing young jazz combos a chance to come up and play on stage. The club employed and provided notoriety to the names and families of several women over the years, such as Evelyn Hunter or Ethel “Toddy” Kelly. The club was known for its connection to the local music scene, as well as its service and food.
The Club Wonder was just one part of a vibrant culture on Akron’s Wooster Avenue, available for the enjoyment and prosperity of the local diverse community, an area eventually replaced by a stretch of highway called the Innerbelt.
