Camden People - Elaine M. Gardiner Brundage

ELAINE M. BRUNDAGE was born Elaine M. Gardiner on October 11, 1939. She was married to Robert Brundage, who passed away in February of 1982. She lived on Van Buren Street in the Chelton Terrace public housing projects from the late 1960s into the 1980s.

In the late 1980s and 1990s she owned and operated the E&P Red Carpet Lounge at 1037-1039 Broadway, beween Mount Vernon Street and Chestnut Street in Camden.

The Red Carpet catered to an older crowd at the beginning of the decade, and was open weekdays. Elaine and her friend Randy managed the bar, with popular barmaids Mopp, Sandy, and Linda pouring the drinks.

By the mid-1990s the bar was open only on weekends, and after an extensive remodeling, operated as a dance club for the 21-to-30 set. One of the most entertaining sights in Camden in the late 1990s was watching Elaine check IDs at the door on a Friday or Saturday night. In these years her daughter Robin and sons Bobby, Marvin, and James worked with her at the bar.

Elaine was also known for a fine singing voice. A fan of Etta James, her favorite song by that singer was All I Could Was Cry, and she was more than happy to sing it for you when the party was on!

Elaine Brundage died unexpectedly at her home on Lakeshore Drive in Camden on Christmas Day, 2000. The Red Carpet had been closed for some time prior to that, and it never did reopened. If it had, it would not be the same. A unique and colorful individual, Elaine Brundage was one of a kind, and that kind you don't find anymore.

The Red Carpet Lounge was all but destroyed by a fire on January 28, 2012. As a matter of coincence, Etta James had died a few days before.

BRUNDAGE
Elaine M. of Camden age 61 years on December 25, 2000. She is survived by one daughter Robin Brundage of Camden, 2 sons, Robert Brundage Jr., of Camden & Marvin Parker of Pennsauken, 1 stepson, James Mimms, of Camden, 1 stepdaughter, Porcha McConnell of Pennsauken, 15 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, 1 brother Joseph Gardner of Camden, 2 sisters Elizabeth Holmes of Swedesboro, Verna M. Holmes of Carney's Point. Viewing will be held Friday 6-8pm at First Baptist Church, Auburn Ave., Swedesboro. Services will be held Saturday 10am at the Church. Friends may call after 8am. Interment Gates of Heaven Cem., Mt. Royal.