When the Red Fox Steakhouse reopens, entertainer
David Shaw will be missing. The versatile clarinetist, saxophonist and horn player had looked forward to returning to the mic three days a week when the legendary bar on El Cajon Boulevard was back in business.
The Red Fox began in 1959 in The Layfayette Hotel, a former Hollywood celebrity getaway with a pool designed by “Tarzan” actor and Olympic swimmer
Johnny Weissmuller.
But the nightclub’s lease expired, and early last year the retro bistro temporarily closed to move to a new location across the street. Its dark wood paneling, ornate fireplace mantle and other fixtures were removed and used to re-create its vintage interior there.