CAMDEN BARS - Wildfire's Place at 1703 MUlford Street

Felix C. Knast and his wife Mary had operated a bar from the 1930s through the early 1950s at 671-673 Ferry Avenue known as Knast Cafe. This block of Ferry Avenue was taken in the early 1950s by the City of Camden to make room for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Manor public housing project, Interstate 676 and other projects that did not come to fruition in later years. Like several other of the business owners who were displaced, the Knasts relocated their business nearby. The new Knast Cafe was built at 1703 Mulford Street, on the corner of Van Hook and Mulford Street.

The Knast family operated the bar through the early 1970s. By 1977 they had sold the bar and Felix and Mary Knast had moved to Glendora NJ. Felix Knast passed away in December of 1981 at the age of 79, survived by his wife, who died in August of 1989.

By 1974 the bar was known as Flash Gordon's, and it remained under this name through 1983. Later in the 1980s the bar was again sold, and the name was changed to Wildfire's Place.

Wildfire's Place was owned and operated by a Jamaican fellow named Leonard and his American-born wife Joyce. The kitchen delicious Jamaican cuisine including curried goat. A major renovation and addition to the building was completed in the mid-1990s. As the bar remains open as of December 2003.

CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
VINCENT P. SARUBBI, CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MEDIA INFORMATION - October 30, 2003

Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi and Acting Camden Police Chief Edwin Figueroa reported today that a 30-year-old Pennsauken man was shot to death Wednesday evening, Oct. 29, 2003, in the South Camden section of Camden, N.J.

Eric Conde, M/30, of the 4700 block of Lafayette Avenue in Pennsauken, N.J., suffered gunshot wounds to the upper body at approximately 5:24 p.m. Wednesday and was pronounced dead a short time later at Cooper University Hospital in Camden.

The investigation indicates that Conde was standing outside the Wildfire Lounge at 1020 Carl Miller Boulevard when someone approached on foot and fired multiple shots, fatally wounding the victim.

No arrests have been made. Further details are being withheld to preserve the integrity of the investigation.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Camden County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Unit at (856) 225-8400 or Camden Police Detectives at (856) 757-7420.

Philadelphia Inquirer - Friday, October 31, 2003

PENNSAUKEN MAN FATALLY SHOT OUTSIDE CAMDEN BAR

CAMDEN - A Pennsauken man was gunned down Wednesday outside a South Camden bar, authorities said.

Eric Conde, 30, was standing outside the Wildfire Lounge on the 1000 block of Carl Miller Boulevard about 5:30 p.m. when an assailant walked up and fired shots. Conde was struck in his upper body and died a short time later at Cooper University Hospital, said Bill Shralow, spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

No arrests have been made. Further details are being withheld to preserve the integrity of the investigation, authorities said.

Philadelphia Inquirer - Friday, November 21, 2003

CAMDEN MAN CHARGED IN FATAL SHOOTING OUTSIDE BAR

CAMDEN - A Camden man was arrested yesterday and charged in connection with the slaying of a Pennsauken man outside a South Camden bar, authorities said.

Raheem Brittingham, 18, was arrested by parole officers at 10:30 a.m. at the Jerothia Riggs Adult Education Center on the 1600 block of Kaighn Avenue, said Capt. Michael Kantner, a spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Eric Conde, 30, was standing outside the Wildfire Lounge on the 1000 block of Carl Miller Boulevard on the night of Oct. 29 when he was gunned down. Conde, struck several times in his upper body, died a short time later at Cooper University Hospital. Brittingham was being held on $350,000 bail last night at the Camden County Correctional Facility, Kantner said..