McNicol China
Clarksburg, WVA.
They were in business from 1914-1969. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that there’s any accurate way to date their products, but this mug sure seems like an early pattern in Little Tavern’s history.

McNicol China

Jackson China. Vitrified. Falls Creek, PA. A34. Made in 1951.

Iriquois China Y-3
Made in March 1939.

Walker China
Made July 1948.

Shenago China – 1940s

For whatever reason, I can’t find my picture of the bottom of this one, but it’s unusual to see the vintage flat sided ones.

Pewter Little Tavern mug

Plastic Little Tavern travel mug

Owner of the Little Tavern chain Harry F. Duncan on the left, John Duty in the middle, and Robert (Bob) Bonsall on the right.

A close-up. Take a look at the badge on his hat.

Now would you look at that- there it is! These are all from the collection of my friend Larry Collier.

And a picture of Bob Bonsall at his desk at the Baltimore Little Tavern office. December 1964. I have another picture in my collection taken in the same office at the same time.
https://dinerman.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/baltimore-little-tavern-christmas/

And their business card.

Depending on your monitor size, this picture is about actual size. This tiny print, about 3″x5″ has fourteen Little Taverns on it, taken in about 1964. It has some I’ve never seen on it. I’m going to try to put a number, location and date on as many as I can. If anyone can take a look at my “Little Tavern Locations” post and give me some second opinions, I’d appreciate it.

2002 Harford Rd. Baltimore, MD Property sold October 1937. Likely opened early 1938.

Baltimore No. 5
Conkling Street.

Little Tavern Baltimore No. 7. Built April 11, 1936.
519 East 25th Street Baltimore MD
Converted. Now Pizza Deal.

Looks like a single digit number, which would put this one in the 1930s.

3200 Block of Belvedere Ave. Baltimore, MD

Definitely an old one. Stone construction. Pre-streamlining. This could very well be Baltimore Little Tavern No. 1 – 1/2 East Mount Royal Ave

Here’s a storefront Little Tavern.
400 block of East Baltimore St. Baltimore MD- formerly canmaker’s hall. Storefront location. Still there as of 1993.
“The Block”

While I’m at it, here are all the Baltimore Little Tavern locations I have at the moment. Unfortunately for most of them I don’t know what they look like.

June 2, 1930 – Baltimore No. 1
1/2 East Mount Royal Ave

1930- Baltimore No. 2
Greenmount Ave, 32nd St. Baltimore, MD

Jan 29, 1931, Baltimore No. 3
908 W. 36th St. Baltimore MD

March 21, 1931 – Baltimore No. 4
East. 25th Street, Baltimore, MD.

August 1, 1931- Baltimore No. 5
Conkling Street by the Grand Theatre

Jan 2, 1936 -Baltimore No. 6

April 11, 1936 – Baltimore No. 7

March 9, 1937 – Baltimore No. 8

900 Block of West North Ave, Baltimore, MD
Robbed of $26 in Dec 1952

115 West Baltimore St. Baltimore MD
Property purchased Dec 21, 1939

3515 Eastern Ave Baltimore, MD 21224

2000 Block East Monument St, Baltimore, MD
Robbed 1968

S. Conkling Street, Baltimore, MD – South of Eastern Ave
Torn Down. Picture.

10 Park Ave Baltimore, MD
Converted – now Park Avenue Grill. Formerly the Lighthouse Pub

Federal Building

former F.N.B.

Vacant Fayette Bank and Trust Co.

the christmas tree is still up. I wonder from which Christmas?

the bank’s entrance. Peeling paint. Dor-o-matic.

and so no one sits on their seat size and height window ledges, they have this decorative metalwork

Masonic Building

with appropriately nice stonework

FB. This one also looked empty.

Mid block ghost of a building in brick

Church

Alley door on a grand scale

GHOST SIGNS

A couple layers going on with this one. I can’t tell what the older one says.

More layers. Hardware store?

10,000 mile guarantee

And not really that old and not a ghost, but a cool mural nonetheless.

NEON

Meloni’s Restaurant- since 1950

Hotel Titlow

Hotel Titlow– let’s continue with that one, some cool little details with it.

Would you like us to put butter on that and heat it up? How could I say no?

Yum Yum’s Bagel Cafe
318 Morgantown Street
Uniontown, PA

And boy was it good.

I wonder what the story with this one is. The car is still parked (not dumped or on its roof) in the driveway, and the place doesn’t look like it had a fire or anything of that sort. Just looks like no one’s been in it in a long time and everything’s just caved in.

This is across from Rick’s ’50s Cafe – 1190 National Pike Hopwood, PA. I wasn’t clear as to what the building it’s actually in front of was, but it was originally called Ruse’s Roost. For more big chickens, and older photos of this one, which also show it’s big bucket, take a look here.

Lillian’s- Cumberland, MD

Lillian’s was a girl’s shop. Source

Spear’s – Cumberland, MD

Spear’s was a Jewelry Store. Here’s a picture before the original signage was covered up.

Ormond- Cumberland, MD
I’m afraid I’m not sure what Ormond was.

Thom McAn – Cumberland, MD

Thom McAn was a shoe store. I just bought a pair of spectators made by them in the 1950s, back when they still made a high quality shoe. Their quality dropped off considerably in the ’70s and now they’re the bottom of the barrel K-Mart brand.

Peskin’s – Cumberland, MD

Peskin’s was a large clothing store. It closed its doors in 1992.

Coyle Bros. – Cumberland, MD

Coyle Brothers was a supermarket, located at Virginia and 3rd

Hotel Titlow – Uniontown, PA

George Titlow opened the Hotel Titlow in 1905. At the time, the hotel cost $200,000 to build.
As business prospered a fourth floor was added and the hotel extended back to Peter Street. The Titlow Hotel earned a statewide reputation as headquarters for wealthy politicians and coal barons.
During prohibition, Titlow the hotel, saying, “You can’t run a hotel without spirits.”
Source: Titlow Tavern

Arrow at a Jewelry Store – Uniontown, PA

I can’t say I’ve ever seen one like this. I love it for it’s simplicity. It’s the Terrazzo equivalent of the neon “EAT” arrow. Stop looking at your feet and come on in and take a look around. It’s the door terrazzo inlay that’s always relevant, no matter the current tenant of the building. This is located at the corner of Rt. 40 and Morgantown St., right in the heart of downtown. The building is occupied by Hostetler’s Jewelers, which has been in the building since 1969. I’m not sure what was there before that, but the building itself dates back to before the civil war.