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Artichoke Joe's Casino facts for kids

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Artichoke Joe's Casino
A large light green building in an urbanized area
The casino in December 2020
Address 659 Huntington Avenue
San Bruno, California
Opening date 1916
Casino type card club
Owner Dennis Sammut
Coordinates 37°37′39″N 122°24′39″W / 37.627552°N 122.410699°W / 37.627552; -122.410699

Artichoke Joe's Casino is a special type of gaming place called a card club. It is located in San Bruno, California. The club is owned by Dennis Sammut. It has been a part of the San Bruno community for a very long time.

A Long History

Artichoke Joe's Casino has a rich history. It started as a family business way back in 1916. Joseph Sammut opened it as "Joe's Pool Parlor." It was a small, one-room place.

How It Got Its Name

In 1921, the name changed to Artichoke Joe's. This name came from a funny story. Joseph Sammut also ran a phone exchange. Most calls were about horse races. Joe would accept bets, even big ones. If someone asked how he would pay a large bet if he lost, he would joke, "In artichoke leaves!" That's how the unique name stuck.

A San Bruno Landmark

Artichoke Joe's became a well-known spot in San Bruno. It was a place for sports fans and people who enjoyed games. The Sammut family still owns the casino today. This makes it one of the oldest businesses in the city.

The BART Extension

In the 1990s, the casino became famous during the building of the SFO BART extension. BART is a train system in the San Francisco Bay Area. The casino's owner was involved in discussions about the train line. He spent a lot of money on these efforts. This was to make sure the extension would benefit the casino and the area.

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