One of two bars in Camden that were known as Niewinski's Cafe, this bar was at 400 Mechanic Street. Domenico Palese, father of Camden's first Italian-American attorney, Rocco Palese, had the bar in 1910. He had moved to 900 South 4th Street by June of  1917. According to the 1918-1919 Camden City Directory, Anthony Niewinski was operating the bar before Prohibition. Anthony Niewinskli appears to have passed away prior to 1926. Licensed again when Prohibition was repaealed in 1933, the bar was run by Leon and Mary Niewinski in South Camden during the 1930s and 1940s. The other Niewinski's Cafe was at 1898 River Road in Camden's Cramer Hill section, and was owned and operated in the 1940s through at least 1959 by Benjamin C. Niewinski and his wife Clara, and later by Benjamin A. Niewinski.  

By 1959 the bar was called the Hi-Lite Tavern and it was listed in the 1970 New Jersey Bell telephone directory. By the late 1970s the bar was known as the Disco Lounge. Telephone directories from 1981 to 1982 list the establishment as the Holiday Inn Lounge. No bar has operated at that location for many years.  

Leon Niewinski later lived in Haddonfield NJ. He passed away in March of 1976.

400 Mechanic they all called Skinny's. My grandfather Rest his Soul, would take to 1 or other to get a growler {pitcher} of cold beer for my father and himself. Giovanni Cianfrani (nee Brown) was a laborer and he got so much pleasure suprising my father with that cold beer-

John Cianfrani
November 2003

Camden Courier-Post
Evening Courier - September 17, 1934

 ORLANDO ASSUMES CHARGE OF VICE WAR
Prosecutor Directs Cleanup and Pushes Probe of Feitz Murder

Lieutenant Walter Welch, new commander of the Second Police District, conducted an intensive cleanup of his bailiwick over Saturday and Sunday, raiding 25 alleged violators of liquor and gambling laws.

Aided by Patrolmen William Marter and Carmin Fuscellaro Sr., Lieutenant Welch conducted a series of raids Saturday night and yesterday morning. The saloon of Mary Niewinski, at 400 Mechanic Street, was raided early yesterday and two customers arrested.

Lieutenant Welch Leads Raiders

Welch, who took over the duties Lieutenant Ralph Bakley when the latter was suspended by Mayor Stewart yesterday, declared he was seeking violators of the city’s Sunday closing ordinance, which states that places selling liquor must close “between the hours of 2:00 AM Sunday and 7:00 AM Monday.”

Nickelson Lehger, 49, of 311 Somerset Street, Gloucester and George Burkett, 38, of 340 Liberty Street, were arrested in Mrs. Niewinski's place. Welch said they were shooting craps on the bar. Mrs. Niewinski was released in $500 bail as proprietor and the men were released in $100 bail each as frequenters.

The three were arrested on Welch's second visit yesterday, he said. The first time he ordered Mrs. Niewinski to close her place, but on his second visit, he found the men gambling, he said.