Red, White and Blue-The Ballot Box A True Bi-Partisan Gathering Spot

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Sunday, February 12, 2017

Christina Andrianopoulos, Guest Contributor

When you walk into the Ballot Box, nestled in the fashionable Canal District at Kelly Square in Worcester, Massachusetts, the first sensation you get is the vibes.  It feels as if a Feng Shui Interior Designer came in and created the environment with great “Chi” (Energy) and high vibrations. For those who are not familiar with Feng Shui, I’m taking the liberty to define it.  One of the fundamental principles of Feng Shui is Yin and Yang. It is a representation of balance and continual change.  When applied to an environment, your home, office, or restaurant, there is a sense of natural balance and synergy when entering the premises.  Well, that is exactly how I felt the first time I entered the Ballot Box. 

 

Guy Glodis, with a long and deep history in Worcester politics, served as State Representative from 1997-1999, State Senator from 1999-2004, and as Sheriff of Worcester County from 2004-2011.  Politics was in his blood starting as a child when his father William Glodis, Jr., was in politics and served as a State Representative from 1980-1997. Glodis senior would take Guy on the campaign trail, engraining politics in Guy’s DNA.  While on the campaign trail with dad, and when he later got involved in politics, Guy collected very interesting photos, political artifacts, bumper stickers, and memorabilia that spanned decades, that now lines The Ballot Box Bar walls shared with the world…well at least his patrons.  If walls could speak!  When you walk into his establishment, besides the sense of peace and tranquility that permeates, you also feel like you have entered a political museum. 

 

Destiny defined Guy’s future to open his bar when the storefront of one of his properties at Kelly Square became available.  With the help of his wife, Tine who took on the interior designing, they created a fun, relaxed restaurant/bar with an atmosphere that includes high ceilings, moldings, splashed with colors that capture the designs of the original architect of the buildings in the Canal District of Worcester circa 1930s with the added pleasure of offering a quintessential, walk down political memory lane.  Guy cautions, “Though the walls are graced with some very interesting political memorabilia, it is NOT a poliarizing bar.  Therefore, please leave any negativity at the door and just plan to have a fun and relaxing time here.”

 

Back to the future, The Ballot Box has a wide selection of wines, beers and spirits.  It has also resurrected the Worcester famous “Campy” Italian sandwich, that was the talk of the town and sought after in the 1980’s.  The basics of the Italian sandwich remain authentic to the original recipe, with some added special spices to make it The Ballot Box’s own Campy Special AND flashing back to the past it’s offered at $5.75, which buys you the delicious 8 inch sandwich, a bag of chips and a 16-ounce draft beer.  Guy plans to bring in more unique sandwiches and other foods, in the near future.  In the meantime, Guy states, “Everyone is welcomed at The Ballot Box regardless of your political or NON-political interest.”  Glodis continues, “I want to create an atmosphere where the bartenders know your name, have your favorite drink ready for you before you even announce it.” 

 

The bar is open “District Office Hours” which translates to Monday through Sunday, 11am—until closing.  Follow them on Facebook @TheBallotBox and leave comments, likes and share the page.  Live entertainment is offered every Thursday night, with a chance to also try out your “Voice” at The Ballot Box Karaoke Saturday nights.  Mary Ellen, a very experienced bartender who joined the other prestigious group of servers’ states, “We welcome everyone to stop by with friends and enjoy our entertainment and one of the best cocktails in town.  You’ll be pleased to see that we kept our prices affordable, even for “top shelf” spirits.  I want people to know they will get the best Manhattans, Martinis, or any spirit neat when they are in The Ballot Box.” Mary Ellen continues, “And a place where everyone knows your name!”  The Ballot Box Bar has truly created an atmosphere with Yin and Yang and all are welcomed.

 

Political Memory Lane; Some highlights of what’s displayed: 

Every table has a “selfie-stick” for you to keep-Why not, Glodis knows how to attract the trendy crowd and hopes that you post the photo after you take it.

A photo of Bill Weld and John Kerry , enjoying a friendly beer after their U.S. Senatorial campaign against one another.
(One of my favorites) A candid photo of President Ronald Reagan’s visit to Russia after the Iron Curtain fell.  Reagan is bending over to shake a little Russian boys hand.  On the right of Reagan is a photo of Gorbachov  On the far left, the photo of a tourist with a camera around his neck looking on innocently (or else it seems that way), is a photo of Vladimir Putin undercover as a KGB agent posing as a tourist.
“Politics and prostitution are the only jobs where inexperience is considered a virtue…” by Tina Fey, this quote and others are on the mirror at the bar.
The bathrooms are part of the political museum too.  The Women’s Room is labeled “Marilyn” and inside is framed the invitation to the White House to sing “Happy Birthday” for President John Kennedy.  Also, there is a roll of toilet paper with Trumps image on it.  The men’s room offers a roll of toilet paper with Hillary Clinton’s image…”All in good fun!” states Glodis.

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