I’m not sure what this was, but it struck me as peculiar so I took some pictures of it. It’s now being used as a picnic shelter, but appears to have had a previous life. My first thought was salvaged roof from an old barrel roof diner, but I’m not sure. The roof itself looks quite a bit older than the poles its on or the footers, and I can’t imagine the amount of custom fabrication it seems went into this being originally done for a picnic pavilion which could have just as easily been wood and shingles.
Category Archives: Diners / roadside related
Mighty Midget Kitchen – Doner Bistro
I went to the Mighty Midget Kitchen for a german Doner. One of my favorite foods is the Donair, which is related, though quite different.
The Mighty Midget is constructed from a section of then surplus B-29 bomber.
Waffle Shop
From a 2008 visit. Full post here.

The building’s now being used as a t-shirt shop.

The waffle shop has set up shop just a few doors down the street and appears to be doing good business.
Little Tavern: Washington no. 7
I went and hunted down the site of Washington No. 7 today, which opened on December 23, 1931. From the size of the tree growing up through the vacant lot, I would say its been gone for a while at this point. The building itself is gone, but the outline of the signature Little Tavern roof is still visible on the wall of the building next door. The brick basement is all still there, covered by a steel framework which I would assume was the floor of the LT. And what’s this I see? Green enameled steel roof tiles? Too bad they’re a story beneath street level and behind a plywood construction fence.
This entire section of G street looks like its waiting to be torn down or otherwise redeveloped. The buildings to the left are all vacant. The Hahn / Florsheim shoe store in the old bank building is also gone, though it seems the National Bank of Washington still occupies it and the buildings seem to have fallen on hard times. For those who don’t know the area, it’s all high priced offices and condos around this cluster.

Next door to the National Bank of Washington

Sorry for the crappy pic- I may be tall, but the eight foot plywood fence is taller, and getting pictures through the 1/2″ gap between two of the panels just wasn’t happening. This is the steel framing over a brick foundation and basement. Lots of tree going on.

Rusty green tiles from the Little Tavern green roof.
Washington no. 7 was (is?) located at
1344 G street northwest Washington DC
Kevin Patrick’s new blog
Please welcome Kevin Patrick to the wonderful world of blogging!
Take some time and read his new post on endangered New Jersey diners.
http://kjpatrick.wordpress.com/
Blue Moon Diner
Here are some shots from Inky over at inkyknits.blogspot.com of the recently restored (by Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners) Blue Moon Diner, a 1941 Silk City Diner now located in Hickory Corners, Michigan, at the Gilmore Car Museum. It was originally located in Meridan, CT, and has been at the museum since 2004.







The Rainbow Diner- Chester, PA
Mike Engle just found the 1957 newspaper page for this Paramount and sent me the tip on it.

I just checked google street view and sure enough it’s still there. Remodeled, yes, but still (barely) recognizable. It doesn’t seem to be in any of the diner finding guides or books, so I suppose this is a new find. I would love to see the interior. Anyone in the Chester area want to go check this one out?
Capital City Diner
Washington DC Signage
I made a mini-roadtrip this morning to DC for some good old fashioned neon.
A&R Auto Parts. The neon appears it originally read something else.
1824 Bladensburg Road NE
Washington, DC 20002
http://www.aandrautoparts.com/
Ride With Safety – Yellow Cab Company.
Ohio Restaurant
1380 H St. NE
Now Closed
More pictures, including ones of the interior, can be found here.

Atlas Theater
1331 H St. NE
Built 1938
Architect John J. Zink.

S and S Shoe Repairing
1126 H St. NE
Budget Motor Inn
1615 New York Avenue Northeast

Syd’s Drive In Liquor Store
2325 BLADENSBURG RD NE
Publick Playhouse
5445 Landover Road
Hyattsville, MD 20784
Opened 1947

Modern Dry Cleaning/ Electric Maid
Takoma Park, MD

Rayco Auto Seat Covers
7998 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Glenmont Arcade
Formerly home to “Tuffy” Leeman’s duckpin Bowling alley. Tuffy, a pro football hall of fame member, played for the New York Giants from 1936 to 1943. The duckpin alley closed several years back.
News from the Silver Diner
This just posted from the folks at the Silver Diner:
Hi everyone! Thanks for weighing in on the new location. We are sorry the news was so disappointing and believe us after putting our blood sweat and tears into the Rockville location, we are sad to be leaving, however our lease has expired. And, unfortunately, it is not feasible to cut up the 8 different modular sections that make up the diner & reassemble them as an operating restaurant. So after 20 great years, we are headed down the road to create the Next Generation Diner incorporating all the best features we’ve built into Silver Diner for the last 20 years. But, don’t be so quick to say goodbye, if you miss the old diner you can visit it around the country. The old diner will be available at different museums to help preserve the Silver Diner history!
I’m curious what they mean about visiting it around the country at different museums? Are they talking Dan’s Diner Salvage? Is it feasible to chop it up and ship it hundreds of miles but not the couple of blocks down the pike? Are they just taking select bits from it and bulldozing the rest?





























