Early years
Stephen Kinnell was the proprietor of the Rainbow Spa at 296 Billerica Road in 1941. In October 1951 the brothers Roger and Octave Foster purchased the Rainbow from Stephen, operating a restaurant on the right side and lounge on the left, with live entertainment and dancing on weekends.
Transition
Octave Foster died in 1962, and his brother Roger died in 1971. As a result of the last founder’s death, Attorney Robert Kierce announced that he and daughters Katherine Foster, Evelyn Foster, and JoAnn Foster Obear were elected to the board of directors. Manager of the Rainbow Kenneth Kleynen lived in a house out back and was also a director.
Closing
Kenneth Kleynen died in November 1982, the sisters had moved on, and as a result the Rainbow officially closed on September 30, 1983. Looting and vandalism started even before that. Co-owner JoAnn Obear learned about the disrespectful souvenir collecting, and in response expressed her disgust in the October 26 edition of the “Newsweekly.” On November 3, owners JoAnn Obear, Katherine Foster, and Keneth Kleynen’s widow Theresa sold their properties to the 300 Realty Trust next door.
Epilogue
This is what the site looks like in 2025, and as can be seen here, there is not a trace of the Rainbow left.
As a result of the original June 2025 Facebook post Chelmsford residents and ex-pats both shared great personal memories of the Rainbow.
Growing up in Chelmsford, MA
Justin McCarthy – My dad had the coin operated scale that came out of that place. Used to love playing with it as a kid. How was it obtained? That I can’t speak to lol.
Bruce Bernard – You know you’re getting old when you can admit you’ve been there. 25-cent 8-ounce beers and pickled eggs!
Jane Flynn Sousa – It was a great place for eating , drinking and dancing
Nancy Benoit Bomengen – My grandfather Eddie Benoit lived across the street on Elliott St and worked there for many years. In 1974 , December he was hit by a truck and killed on his way home. My current house on Mill Road was originally on Elliott St and in 1954 Arnold Parlee put it on a flatbed trailer and moved it to Mill Road.
Jackie Constantineau – WHERE MY MOM & DAD MET EACH OTHER
Susan Teehan Byrne – My Grandparents took us there on a Sunday afternoon. We thought we were so cool
Robert Siebert – Nice place and my friend Kenny Kleynen’s Dad ran the place. They lived behind it
Roland Young – I used to go there and get my check cashed. He charged a fee.
Linda Avila – What a great place. Anyone that worked at NEI would frequent there on Friday afternoons to eat and drink and rarely returned to work. The bosses didn’t mind much because they knew we would show up on Saturday morning. Seems like forever ago.
Jimmy Tevlin – Great place….with good food …
Eric Foster – I used to deliver the Lowell sun there as a kid
Chris Hopkins – They had good pizza
Ken Frazier – Might of had a beer or two there
Chelmsford News
Peggy Duffy Cashman – Evelyn Foster was my “aunt” I cooked there from 1975 to 1979. Many memories.
Kris Hansen-Wescott – My dad was a regular there. I remember the fights about it
Nancy C. D’Arcy – The former Marketing VP at Apollo has the sign!
Ian Heffernan – My nana tended bar there
Donald Fraser – Ahhhh that stale beer smell! Loved that place!
Bryan Leary – I recall playing softball there in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s as the Rainbow Cafe was a member of a softball league. It might have been the Lowell Softball League because I don’t believe Chelmsford had its own league back then, even though I played in both leagues over the years. The Rainbow even had their own softball field which was used in the league. It was always a fun time playing there as we would socialize after the games in the Rainbow Spa.
Doug Sheppo Shepherd – I loved that place
Paul McDougall – Would hang out there with my dad in the 70s drinking moose beer
Donna Ducharme Gelinas – Had some good times there!
Derek Robinson – Bumper pool and the pinball was great. Every dad had a roll of quarters if they wanted to be left alone for sat afternoon bruins game.
Chelmsford Friends MA
Karen Spence – Bo Zabierek, Tom Wirtanen, and James Zabierek. This would have been mid to late 70s. I went once when I was 16 with several people. Fun times.
Patty Fournier – Memory names from the past!!!!
Bernard Ready – I would go in there in the early 1950s to deliver the Lowell Sun with my brother Dennis and they would give us free cokes.
Bernard Ready I remember going there in the ’70’s. They had a great jukebox! The drinking age was 18. I didn’t drink then however!
Wally Kivlan – I delivered the Lowell Sun to the Lions Den and the free cokes Esther gave me were appreciated. Bernie the Rainbow was a good distance from your home. God Rest Dennis’s soul, Mom and Dad’s also.
Jeff Boyd – Oh so that’s where it was. My father said he used to stop there on the way home from work for a couple of drinks. There were some other bars around here that are also gone. Nick’s Happy Hour and the Idle Hour.
Carol Richardson Siebert – My Dad’s hangout.
Jay Walker – My paper route went by there. I used to stop there on collection days a order a small pizza and a coke. For a dive bar they made really good pizza.
Judith Carven – Nick name back then … Judy Garland’s place … that must have been a ‘code’ for my Dad and his buds to sneak off. Lol
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