This blog contains many posts that explain real estate terms commonly found in advertising and contracts, but today I’m going to answer a question about a couple real estate terms that aren’t so common. For a little fun and history, I’m responding to a question asked several times regarding the terms rug joints and sawdust joints.

Men know that everything they need to learn about being a man can be learned by watching the 1972 movie “The Godfather.”  Women – if you want to understand men, watch “The Godfather.”  Mario Puzzo, the late author who wrote the book, said the story isn’t about the Mafia, it’s about the relationship between a father and his sons.  But I digress…

In “The Godfather, Part II,” one of the Mafia chiefs talks about how their casino hotels in Cuba are “bigger and swankier” than their rug joints in Vegas.  Some believe that a rug joint is a place where you shoot someone in the head, roll their body up in a rug and take them to the woods to be buried.  Not true! Here’s the real story.

Sawdust joints are casinos or bars that have wood floors. Proprietors sprinkle sawdust on the floor to 1) absorb spilled liquids, 2) protect the floor from damage by hard soled shoes, and 3) to muffle the sound made by walking on the wood floor. In the early days of Las Vegas casinos, almost all casinos were sawdust joints.

As Las Vegas and other gambling centers grew, they built larger, fancier casinos to attract high end gamblers and celebrities. Those casinos were decorated with more expensive furnishings, including carpeting and rugs on the floor. Those better establishments came to be known as rug joints.

The terms rug joint and sawdust joint no longer define the relative quality of casinos, but they have their place in gambling and movie history.

Thanks to those who asked about these terms, I hope everyone found the answer somewhat interesting.

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