The Banana Stand opened in Villa Ridge, Missouri about 35 miles west of St. Louis in 1923. The small roadside stand owned and operated by Spencer and Ursula Groff was an big hit. Every year the place expanded. In the 1930s the now restaurant was renamed The Diamonds. In 1947, The Diamonds were serve a record…
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The following article, written and photographed by Lee Heiman, appeared in the Courier-Journal on October 16, 1960: Keeping Up with the Joneses, a difficult matter anywhere or anytime, is particularly nerve-wracking at a certain restaurant on U.S. 62 at the west edge of Bardstown. This isn’t because of high prices but because of the large…
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“DINE IN A GARDEN IN FULL BLOOM” Lehr’s Garden Restaurant opened at 740 Sutter St., San Francisco in November, 1972. Housing both a full florist shop and restaurant, the glass-enclosed “dining spa” was designed to look like and actually be a greenhouse. By the time restaurant opened, the proprietor Murray Lehr had been a part…
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Fritzel’s was an incredibly popular place. For more than 30 years, the restaurant at 201 N. State Street in the Loop was the place to be seen. Friztel’s catered to the celebrity, politician, athlete and upper crust of society in and visiting Chicago. Famous sports names such as Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle would visit…
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Mailed from Florida to Mr. & Mrs. William Sullivan of Mt. Holly, New Jersey on November 29, 1972: Ate here after seeing the Cardinals and a Jap team play baseball. Sure picked good weather – cold, cloudy & rained for 12 days. Got 2 free newspapers. Everything is crowded. Have gone to retired people’s dances, card…
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For more than 80 years, Cinelli’s Country House restaurant was a Cherry Hill, New Jersey landmark. Originally opened in 1909 by Julio Cinelli as a restaurant and bar in a farmhouse on a 7 acre plot of land, the restaurant was a family affair. Julio’s wife was the cook. The restaurant was known for its 25 cent…
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Amelia Earhart’s plane went down somewhere, history says, leaving the world with one less brave pilot and one more aeronautical mystery. But there’s no mystery- as any resident of Penndel can tell you – about an airplane at the corner of Route 1 and Durham Road. The only mystery connect with the Lockheed Super G…
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The original Carolina Pines restaurant opened in either 1923 or 1924 or 1925 (even the restaurant would use all three years in their advertising) at 4619 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. The proprietor, Rose Satterfield, opened the small cafe and tea room in with a seating capacity of just 12 people. Rose Satterfield was described by the Los Angeles Times…
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The Top of the Ocean was once a popular “luxury liner” restaurant in Tacoma, Washington. Located at 2211 Ruston Way in Tacoma, “The Top” was built along Commencement Bay to resemble a docked ocean liner. Architect Charles Kenworthy designed the restaurant and it was constructed by an actual boat company, Tacoma Boat Mart, at a…
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