The Secret Room – The night foreman at Stearns relayed this story of the secret room. As night foreman he would take care of the cars that came in for parking while the owners went to shows and other entertainment. After all in those days, everything happened Uptown. He had a small office by the entryway to the basement that enabled him to collect the money and park the cars outside. One night he discovered loose bricks in the wall, so he dug them out and soon had an opening. He then moved a kitchen cabinet over the hole. He mixed the dirt with sand and gravel that dropped from the cars when ice and snow melted. The next morning when the floor was swept, it all went into the garbage. He did this every night and soon created his secret room. He kept his refreshments for his side business in the secret room.