Paradise Valley Distributing Company
Ray Music Company - Paradise Bowl

Paradise Valley Distributing Company was located at 2467 St. Antoine and boosted in 1940 that it was the world’s only black beer distributor.  Owned by Reuben Ray, Grady Jackson, and Everett Watson in opened in 1937, it had ten trucks and 42 employees.  This trio in 1938 later opened the Ray Music Company, which rented and serviced juke boxes.  Finally the trio with John Roxborough opened the Paradise Bowl in 1942.  Construction of the twenty-lane alley and cocktail lounge at 640-660 East Adams cost $250,000 ($4,544,110 today).