Since the liberation from Prohibition, the bar had no name. To the sailors and longshoremen, it was like a clubhouse and was known as “The Green Door.” Its motto from long ago was “Known from Coast to Coast.” There used to be a pool table, gambling, tall tales, and no music except the sea songs of the bar room buddies. No women were allowed.

Then in 1977, new resident-owners christened the place the Ear Inn. The new name was chosen to avoid the Landmark Commission’s lengthy review of any new sign. The neon’ BAR sign was painted to read EAR, after the musical Ear Magazine published upstairs. Ol’ timers never noticed and still call the place the Green Door.