I made the drive down from Maryland to Midlothian VA today to pick this up.
This neon sign was previously mounted on Richmond White Tower No. 1, which was located at 223 East Grace Street. It was originally built in 1939, and remodeled in 1960, which is probably when this sign was installed. The building is still there. It’s been de-towered, and painted, but it’s still recognizable.
Some recent additions to my collection. These photos were taken in 1965. There used to be quite a few trolley conversions in the mid atlantic (and elsewhere), but they just didn’t hold up as well as factory built diners. By the time they came into service as diners, most had served a full lifetime of service on the roads, so the condition was obviously not as good as a factory built diner. It took work, money and some jerry-rigging to change them over from transportation to food service. But they could be picked up and converted on the cheap, so they were a good way to get into the business. It seems most owners traded up to a proper factory built diner, or to a on-site construction once they had earned enough money to do so, so the trolleys didn’t survive very well.
Maryland
Maryland
Virginia
Virginia
The Mighty Midget in 1980. It was built by a Glendale, California based firm post-war from a section of bomber fuselage. Apparently they built seven of them, and this is the only one to have survived.
From the 1940s through its closing, it cooked standard grill fare- burgers and hot dogs. It did a stint post-move and post-restoration as a Barbecue place, and now is part of a German Doner restaurant.
And 30 years later. It closed in 1994 and was moved to the current site in 1996. The stone gas station which is used to sit next to is now a pie shop.
Here’s a small southern chain, a few of the buildings are still around and recognizable, though most have by this point been torn down. I haven’t thought about these in two years, but was generously reminded this evening so I thought I’d put up these archival photos, taken by Michael G. Stewart , mostly in the 1970s and 1980s.
For more info on their history and for other locations, check out the Roadsidenut website, the incredible work of Debra Jane Seltzer.
The Falls Church, Virginia Location, operating as George’s Diner / George’s Deli
And more recently as Victor’s Grill
The Front Royal, VA location as the Do-Nut Diner
The Front Royal location c. 2003 as the Fox Diner (since torn down). I submitted photos of this one to Zippy the Pinhead the first time I was there. A few years later I returned and there was a local news story hanging on the wall with a very angry tone to the effect of “what is this strange comic strip and how did they find us- why won’t they leave us alone!” It was all very funny. The owners when it was the fox made it one of the best diners in the region (even if it isn’t a true diner). The owners from before it was torn down gave it all the atmosphere and charm of a McDonalds. They didn’t get what they had and didn’t seem to get the area or their customers.
And though I don’t have super old photos of this one, here is a shot of the Winchester, VA location, which, when the photo was taken, had the signage from the Donut Castle up, though it had been bought and was operating at the Seoul Garden Cafe. It is now the North Loudoun Diner.
Patent Art
Archival postcard of a Donut Dinette.
In 1936, there were 14 locations operating in Washington DC.
By 1939, there were 21 in Washington.
By the 1940s, there were approximately 50 Little Tavern locations in Washington and Baltimore.
In 1988, 22 locations were still operating.
In 1991, the number was 20.
The last one closed last year.
This is what I’ve been able to piece together of locations which once existed.
If anyone has pictures especially from when they were still operating as Little Taverns, I’d love to see them. And if you’d just like to add a story or reminiscence, I’d love to hear it as well.
And if anyone has a location to add, please leave a comment and I’ll add it to the list.
1. 814 E Street NW. – built c. 1928
2. 1344 G street northwest Washington DC
Torn Down, but the outline of the building is still visible on the wall of the building next door. Built 1931.
3. 2628 Connecticut avenue northwest Washington DC
Torn Down – Now the site of the Woodley Park-Zoo / Adams Morgan metro station Built before Feb. 1937
4. 1110 H St. Northwest Washington DC (Little Tavern Shop No. 16) Closed by 1985.
Torn Down Now the site of the Capitol City Brewing Company downtown location?
5. 3701 New Hampshire Ave. NW Washington DC
Torn Down. Now the site of the Sweet Mango Cafe.
6. 5100 Georgia Ave. NW Washington DC
Torn Down. Now a used car lot.
7. 1309 New York Avenue, N.E. Washington DC (Little Tavern Shop No. 8 )
Moved to 1251 New York Ave.
8. 1251 New York Avenue, N.E. Washington DC (Relocation of Little Tavern Shop No. 8 )
Torn Down. Now a school bus parking lot.
9. 628-632 North Capitol Street, N.W. Washington DC (Little Tavern Shop No. 6) Built 1931
Restored 1983. Demolished 1988.
Torn Down.
10. 2716 Good Hope Road S.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 26)
Torn Down. Now a strip mall.
11. 718 H Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 12)
Converted. Now Super Nails.
Built 8/29/1935. Permit # 183945. Architect G.B. Wenner. Estimated cost $7,500.
12. 3968 Minnesota Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 23)
Torn Down. Now strip mall featuring “Rainbow” and “Downtown Locker Room”. Next door to former Senator Theatre, built 1942.
13. 2537 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 24)
Converted. Now Continental Construction Next door to the former Highland Theatre.
14. 6th Street and Morse Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 27)
Converted Now Subway.
15. 504 13th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.
Torn Down
16. 828 North Washington Street, Alexandria, Virginia
Built of brick in 1940 (Building Permit #2542, 5/22/1940)
Resurfaced with porcelain enamel panels 1959 (Building Permit #15009, 5/27/1959).
1993- Friendly Tavern (BAR Case #93-8, 1/6/1993)
1994- Hogs on the Hill (BAR Case #94-104, 10/5/1994).
1995 – Jerry’s Subs (BAR Case #95-189, 12/20/95)
2005- Merry’s Subs Pizza (BAR Case #2005-00226, 10/19/2005)
2008- Asian Wok Cafe
Converted Now Chinese Restaurant. Photo taken during Little Tavern days.
17. Wisconsin Avenue and Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland (Built c.1939)
Converted. Now Golden House Chinese Food.
18. 135 Main Street, Annapolis, Maryland
Closed/Torn Down Nothing left at the site.
19. 11143 Viers Mill Road and Grandview Avenue, Wheaton, Maryland
Torn Down , Though sign-frame is still there, advertising Chuck Levin’s. Site Plan. Painting.
20. 6414 Holabird Ave Baltimore, MD 21224 Opened 1983. Closed 2008.
Closed. Picture.
21. 3515 Eastern Ave Baltimore, MD 21224
Closed. Picture.
22. Greenmount Ave, 32nd St. Baltimore, MD
Converted. As it appeared originally. Now Sea Blue. Formerly Kennedy Fried Chicken.
23. S. Conkling Street, Baltimore, MD – South of Eastern Ave
Torn Down. Picture.
24. 519 East 25th Street Baltimore MD
Converted. Now Pizza Deal.
25. Belvedere Ave. Baltimore, MD- East of Park Heights
26. 10 Park Ave Baltimore, MD
Converted – now Lighthouse Pub
27. 7413 Baltimore Ave College Park, MD 20740
Converted Photo – Until 2009- JD’s Roadhouse. 2010- closed
28. 8230 Georgia Ave Silver Spring, MD
Torn Down Read full story here and here.
29. Corner of Fenton St. and Wayne Ave. Silver Spring, MD
Torn Down Picture as Chinese Restaurant . Pictures as an operating Little Tavern.
30. 3333 M. Street NW Washington DC -
Converted Now Sweetgreen
31. 1303 Wisconsin Ave NW. Washington DC -
Converted Now Paolo’s
32. 655 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E. Washington, DC 20003
Converted Now Little Pub
Built 11/26/193(5 or 6) , architect Frank B. Proctor, Estimated Cost $5000, Permit no. 208645
33. 3125 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA
Converted Now Goody’s
34. Rt. 1 Laurel, MD -
Converted Now Laurel Tavern Donuts Blog Post.
35. 7801 Coastal Hwy, Ocean City, Maryland
Gone/Converted (Seasonal)
36. 1221 U Street, NW – The Hamburger Grill
Gone. Storefront? Run by Little Tavern Shops. Referenced in 1933 “The Afro American” And here.lt
37.The Shops at National Place (Club LT- opened 1987)
529 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
Gone
38. Former Little Tavern? Now Tarbouch
3110 Lee Highway
Arlington, VA
The first Washington DC Little Tavern, located at 814 E Street, NW, opened its doors in 1928. It appears the site is now the home of a twelve story apartment building and a Bank of Georgetown.
Early Little Taverns seem to have had a design similar to that of 1920s White Castles and White Towers.
By 1931, the Tudor Cottage Design had been adopted
In 1937, it was updated with a bit more of a moderne syle
Typical Plans and detail
A design from 1949
And a later, simplified design. What I’ve found on this one points to a date of construction in 1974
This one was found in Silver Spring, Maryland until relatively recently. When it was torn down, it had been painted yellow and was operating as a Chinese restaurant.
Bristol, the birthplace of country music, is home to great architecture, neon, and at least two giant guitars.
The Grand Guitar, an enormous Martin
The fret markers are windows, as is the sound hole. It looks like it could stand to be re-strung.
And in town, is another large guitar, set in the ground, as a chamber of commerce / welcome sign.
Driving down the highway outside of Pulaski, VA, we spotted the big neon for this place poking through the trees. I couldn’t get the camera out fast enough to snap it, so we took the exit and drove around a bit, until we found it. The motel is still there, though it’s closed. The restaurant isn’t visible from the road, and it’s on private property, so please don’t go searching for it
The motel was once the Days Inn. The last review of it is dated September, 2008, so it closed fairly recently. The restaurant, however, has been closed and abandoned for a bit longer. It is currently condemned. Going by a class of 1963 35th reunion banner still hanging in the restaurant, it’s safe to say that the place closed in 1998 or so.
It’s a great ’60s colonial Howard Johnson’s type place, with avocado green stools and a great rooftop neon.
Overgrown parking lot
Sandwich Shoppe
Blue Paint
Red paint
Shots of the interior. Sorry about the glare, they’re through the windows.
Counter
Left Side Dining Room.
Inside dining room. The “Forever Young” DHS class of 1963 35th Reunion. Possibly Dublin High School?
Candles and coffee mugs still on the tables. Ceiling is caving in.
Abandoned Road
Stopped in the town of Wytheville, VA for lunch yesterday. Wandered around a little bit, and spotted this old rusty barber shop sign. Went down the side street to get pictures of it, found that it was open and there were no customers. So I went in. The barber, still in the traditional white smock, asked what I wanted. I explained that I was into the whole ’30s/’40s thing, and that that’s how I wanted it. He responded, “so just a normal haircut, then”, and set to work, working almost entirely with the electric clippers. He worked without the length attachments on the clippers, and only used the comb to hold the hair away from my head, not as a guide. Great haircut, neat experience, and only $6.
Some more from the archives, in no particular order.
Short Stop Diner, now Irene’s pupusas. Wheaton, MD
It’s a 1956 Kullman. The neon was nearly as big as the diner itself, but has since disappeared.
Then:
Now:
Diner- Front Royal, VA
It’s a 1956 Mountain View. Front Royal used to be a hotbed of diners. It had this one, Nick’s Good Food diner, the Do-nut dinette, and another ’50s stainless model. The other three have been knocked down, and this one’s now a used car dealer.
Now:
Frost Diner- Warrenton, VA
The Frost is a 1955 O’Mahony.
Inside
Counter
A sign of the times- Disco Fashion T-shirts
Pork Chop- $1.25, Fried Chicken $1.75
Tastee Diner- Silver Spring, MD
Tastee Diner- Laurel, MD
a rare Comac brand diner
Bud’s Broiler – New Orleans, LA
Bud’s Broiler
Allen Theater
Current Photos
Flower Theater
Current Photos
Summit Diner- Somerset, PA
Summit Diner
Moody’s Diner- Waldoboro, ME
Moody’s Diner
Diner- MA
