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The former Luxor Bathhouse, home of Spring, was built in 1923 to
serve families and immigrants of the neighborhood. Its classic Russian
bathhouse design, also called a "schvitzbed", was modeled
after baths in ancient Rome and hammams of Constantinople, and brought
over 90,000 visitors to its steamy insides the first year of operation.
The three-tiered bathhouse had a whirlpool and
small cooling pool (what is Spring today), several steam rooms,
showers, massage rooms, a kitchen and lounge. As the years went
on, the Luxor was used less out of necessity, and became a relaxing
haven for local businessmen and workers. In the fifties the Luxor
was open to men daily except Sunday afternoons and Wednesdays, and
for about $10 patrons could have a steam, massage with a special
oak leaf brush, a few beers, a shoeshine, and walk out with change
to spare. No detail was left out: to soothe and keep the heads of
patrons, steamroom attendants would hand each man a water-soaked
felt hat as they entered the 120+ saunas. The chef, Dave Schaffel,
was known for his daily preparation of cabbage soup, pickled herring,
and chopped liver with chicken fat on the side.
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