Roma Hall

Roma Hall was built in 1930 by Giovanni Battista Russo aka G.B Russo[1]. The hall was built on the second floor of the family’s apartment building where they lived and owned a grocery store. It was located at 746 South Division Ave. Many members of the family including G.B.’s wife, his kids and youngest brother all worked at Roma Hall. The hall went through many names such as Genoa Café and Russo Café and it was the home to Club Indigo. Roma Hall was open from 1930 to 1991, and home to events for all people, regardless of race or color.1

[1] “Roma Hall Story | West Mich Music Hysterical Society.” n.d. https://www.westmichmusichystericalsociety.com/roma-hall-story/.

Roma Hall’s story starts with G.B Russo. G.B Russo was an Italian American living in Grand Rapids. Him and his family lived in apartments above their grocery store.[1] It was located at 746 South Division Ave. In the late 1920s, a fire damaged the Russo building, which was unfortunately uninsured.[1] Trying to make another form of income for the family, G.B Russo decided to rebuild part of the buildings second floor into a rental hall, calling it Roma Hall. Roma Hall was added to the city directory in 1930.

Roma Hall was created during the Great Depression and Prohibition. It was hard for Russo to start a business during that time. Russo opened Genoa Café in Roma Hall in late 1933.[2] A year later, the name was changed to Russo Café. Russo used it to run a nightclub and ran the business for years. On nights, when it was closed, he would rent the hall to families for private events. Roma Hall was a pillar to the community because he would rent to all people. That was significant especially during a time before many major social movements were in place.

Dances and floorshows at Roma Hall usually featured African American performers. Due to this popularity, started the buzz of Club Indigo. Club Indigo was held at Roma Hall and was for Grand Rapids' Black community. A newspaper article described Club Indigo as a place organized for the civil, social and athletic advancement of the Black community.[2] Club Indigo’s usage of Roma Hall made it an important location for all people to enjoy in nightlife. Records show the club was running from 1936 to 1940.[1] Throughout Roma Hall’s history, it was mainly rented to the African American community. Though, other ethnic groups also rented Roma Hall. This includes the Italian, Syrian and Latinx community. The Italian and Syrian community rented the hall for big gatherings like weddings and other parties. The Latinx community, specifically Mexican and Puerto Ricans found Roma Hall to be a safe place for recreation in the 1950s. Roma Hall events hosted by Latinxs often catered to only Latinxs, but also included Afro-Latinos.[3]

Roma Hall was an important piece to Grand Rapids' history. It was part of the home to the Russo family and was home to many events and used by all. The hall had a variety of uses and served many ethnic groups. The hall represents decades of history and memories in Grand Rapids. Roma Hall is a historical landmark in Grand Rapids, and it served the community from 1930 to 1991.

There are two communities who have relevance to the Roma Hall, the Italian and African American community. This connects to the Italian community because the Russo family has a major contribution to the Italian community in Grand Rapids. One of the original purposes of the Hall was for it to be a place for Italians to have a rental hall for weddings, dances and other events. Roma Hall has a connection to the African American community through its rental history. According to John Russo, the hall was mainly rented for African American dances.[2] Roma Hall was also the home for Club Indigo, which was one of the first clubs organized for the African American community. Roma Hall was important to both communities mentioned, and they should know about the important history it holds.

[1] Grand Rapids Community Media Center - www.grcmc.org. 2012. “Russo’s Roma Hall.” History Grand Rapids. October 28, 2012. http://www.historygrandrapids.org/photoessay/4056/russos-roma-hall.

[2] B, Lisha. 2023. “Attorney Floyd Skinner Was the Owner of Club Indigo, Grand Rapids’ First Black Nightclub.” My Magic GR. February 10, 2023. https://mymagicgr.com/attorney-floyd-skinner-was-the-owner-of-club-indigo-grand-rapids-first-black-nightclub/#google_vignette.

[3] Delia M. Fernández,

Making the Mexirican City: Migration, Placemaking, and Activism in Grand Rapids, Michigan (University of Illinois Press, 2023).

B, Lisha BLisha. 2023. “Floyd Skinner Was the Owner of Club Indigo, Grand Rapids’ First Black Nightclub.” My Magic GR. February 10, 2023. https://mymagicgr.com/attorney-floyd-skinner-was-the-owner-of-club-indigo-grand-rapids-first-black-nightclub/#google_vignette.

“Roma Hall Story | West Mich Music Hysterical Society.” n.d. West Mich Music Hysterical Society. Accessed August 19, 2023. https://www.westmichmusichystericalsociety.com/roma-hall-story/.

www.grcmc.org, Grand Rapids Community Media Center-. 2012. “Russo’s Roma Hall.” History Grand Rapids. October 28, 2012. http://www.historygrandrapids.org/photoessay/4056/russos-roma-hall.