The Patterson Vehicle Company produced Silk City Diners from 1927 until 1964.
Little Tavern Locations- Updated List
January 15, 2010 by dinermanBy 1937, 33 Little taverns and two Little Tavern Grills had been opened
By 1940, 45 shops were open
In 1972, around 42 Little Taverns were operating
Duncan sold the chain in 1981
In 1988, 22 locations were still operating.
In 1991, the number was 20.
The last one closed last year.
Harry F. Duncan- pre-Little Tavern hamburger shops
Feb 14, 1925 – Baby Beef – St. Louis No. 1
Between 1925 and 1927, 5 “Baby Beef” were opened by Duncan.
Little Tavern
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Locations I’ve been able to find the number of.
1. Mach 24, 1927- Louisville No. 1
510 West Broadway Louisville, KY
Image courtesy Larry Collier
2. October 8, 1927 – Louisville No. 2
3. Dec 22, 1927 – Louisville No. 3
Image courtesy Larry Collier
4. March 24, 1928 – Louisville No. 4 – Sold August 1935
5. May 17, 1928 – Louisville No. 5
Image courtesy Larry Collier
6. October 30, 1928 – Washington No. 1
814 E Street NW.
7. February 12, 1929- Washington No. 2
3701 New Hampshire Ave. NW Washington DC
Torn Down. Now the site of the Sweet Mango Cafe.
8. August 14, 1929 – Washington No. 3
9. December 3, 1929 – Washington No. 4
10. May 15, 1930 – Louisville No. 6 – Closed 1932
11. June 2, 1930 – Baltimore No. 1
12. June 19, 1930- Washington No. 5
13. 1930- Baltimore No. 2
Greenmount Ave, 32nd St. Baltimore, MD
Converted. As it appeared originally. Now Sea Blue.
Note the castle-like stonework on the right, similar to that found on the earlier Louisville ones. It appears the roof and enamel panels which were on it were retrofits.
14. Jan 29, 1931, Baltimore No. 3 (First “Streamlined” Little Tavern- those built prior were of the castle style, it appears. Some were converted to the tudor style later on)
15. March 21, 1931 – Baltimore No. 4 – Closed 1932 due to lease problem
16. May 6, 1931 – Washington No. 6
630 North Capitol Street, N.W. Washington DC
Restored 1983. Demolished 1988.
17. August 1, 1931- Baltimore No. 5
Image courtesy Larry Collier
18. December 23, 1931 – Washington No. 7
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.
19. March 22, 1932 – Washington No. 8
Moved about 4 miles in 1936. to 1309 New York Ave. Torn down by 1972 to make way for parking lots
Images courtesy Larry Collier
20. December 3, 1932 – Washington No. 9
Image courtesy Larry Collier
21. Jan 13, 1934 – The Baltimore Grill / Little Tavern Tap Room – Baltimore
22. February 1, 1934 – Washington No. 10 – Moved 80 feet in 1936 to accommodate construction of government building (Bureau of Engraving and Printing Annex) 14th St. Southwest Washington DC
Image courtesy Larry Collier
23. September 15, 1934 – Washington No. 11
24. November 11, 1935 – Washington No. 12
718 H Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
Now Super Nails.
Building Permit Permit # 183945.
Architect G.B. Wenner. Estimated cost $7,500.
25. December 12, 1935 – Washington No. 13
Image Courtesy Larry Collier
26. Jan 2, 1936 -Baltimore No. 6
27. April 9, 1936 – Washington No. 14
Georgetown. Either 3333 M. Street NW or 1303 Wisconsin Ave NW
28. April 11, 1936 – Baltimore No. 7
29. July 1, 1936 – Washington No. 15
30. November 11, 1936 – Washington No. 16
1110 H St. Northwest Washington DC
Closed by 1985.
Images courtesy Larry Collier
color photo by Robby Delius
31. December 31, 1936 – Washington No. 17
2628 Connecticut Ave. Northwest Washington DC
Closed December 1972 for the construction of the Woodley Park-Zoo / Adams Morgan metro station
Images courtesy Larry Collier
32. February 4, 1937 – Washington No. 18
33. February 9, 1937 – Washington No. 19
34. March 9, 1937 – Baltimore No. 8
35. 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.
36. 2537 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 24)
Converted. Now Continental Construction Next door to the former Highland Theatre.
37. 2716 Good Hope Road S.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 26)
Now New York Fried Chicken
38. 6th Street and Morse Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. (Little Tavern Shop No. 27)
Converted Now Subway.
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Locations I was not able to find the number of. Some almost certainly overlap with locations in the previous list.
1221 U Street, NW – The Hamburger Grill
Gone. Storefront? Run by Little Tavern Shops. Referenced in 1933 “The Afro American”
504 13th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.
Torn Down
3333 M. Street NW Washington DC -
Converted Now Sweetgreen
1303 Wisconsin Ave NW. Washington DC -
Converted Now Paolo’s
655 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E. Washington, DC 20003
Converted Now Li’l Pub
Built 11/26/193(5 or 6) , architect Frank B. Proctor, Estimated Cost $5000, Permit no. 20864
Pennsylvania Ave NW- by white house- demolished by 1972
The Shops at National Place (Club LT- opened 1987)
529 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
Gone
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6414 Holabird Ave Baltimore, MD 21224 Opened 1983. Closed 2008.
Closed.
3515 Eastern Ave Baltimore, MD 21224
Closed.
S. Conkling Street, Baltimore, MD – South of Eastern Ave
Torn Down. Picture.
519 East 25th Street Baltimore MD
Converted. Now Pizza Deal.
Belvedere Ave. Baltimore, MD- East of Park Heights
photo from btco.net
10 Park Ave Baltimore, MD
Converted – now Lighthouse Pub
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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
3125 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA – Built 1941
Converted. Now Goody’s
Former Little Tavern? Now Tarbouch
3110 Lee Highway
Arlington, VA
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Wisconsin Avenue and Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland (Built c.1939)
Converted. Now Golden House Chinese Food.
135 Main Street, Annapolis, Maryland
Closed/Torn Down Nothing left at the site.
There was another Annapolis location, closed by the 1970s, though I can’t find an address for it.
11143 Viers Mill Road and Grandview Avenue, Wheaton, Maryland
Torn Down , Though sign-frame is still there, advertising Chuck Levin’s. Site Plan. Painting.
7413 Baltimore Ave College Park, MD 20740
2010- closed
8230 Georgia Ave Silver Spring, MD
Torn Down
Corner of Fenton St. and Wayne Ave. Silver Spring, MD – Built 1974
Demolished 2008
Rt. 1 Laurel, MD -
7801 Coastal Hwy, Ocean City, Maryland
Gone/Converted (Seasonal)
I have a report that that there was a location in Columbia Mall–1982 or 3 till late 80’s
It’s possible one of the KY locations may have been at 4138 Dixie Highway Louisville, KY
A Little Tavern at the corner of Montgomery Lane and Waverly St in Bethesda md
Little Tavern #24 – Pennsylvania Ave SE
January 11, 2010 by dinermanA friend sent photos of this former Little Tavern, located at 2537 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C.
According to Library of Congress records, it was built in 1948; Architect Charles R. Zeller. Another record of it, “Working drawing showing assembly of porcelain enamel cladded panels for fast food restaurant as elevations, diagrams, and axonometrics projections”, exists from 1955. According to that record, it was Little Tavern Shop #24
Tommy Marcos’ Ledo Restaurant
January 10, 2010 by dinermanBefore I headed back to school, I hit up Tommy Marcos’ Ledo Restaurant, which was opened in 1955. Now to avoid confusion, there is Ledo Pizza, the chain, and the Ledo Restaurant, in Adelphi Plaza, soon to move to College Park. Tommy Marcos’ Ledo is the original- the one with the atmosphere- the one with tradition- and the one with damn good pizza. Ledo Pizza the chain is lacking in all those regards.
The pizza is a bit out of the ordinary in its rectangular shape. The crust is light and flaky an the pizza has a delicious sweet tomato taste. I ordered my favorite, pepperoni, black olives and sausage. A medium is one tray. The Ledo, in a nice touch not often seen anymore, still puts cherries in their pepsi.
The Ledo is a true local icon, with strong University of Maryland ties. Take a look at the murals on the walls.
They are supposed to move in early Summer.
College Park Little Tavern- 2010
January 2, 2010 by dinermanI visited the College Park location today, seen here while still in operation. Last I visited, it was a BBQ place called JD’s Roadhouse. Before that, it was the “Toddle House”, as was the Bethesda Location.
The awning indicates that it was once a Toddle House. The Bethesda location was also once one.
College Park Little Tavern- Historic Photos
January 2, 2010 by dinermanSome photocopies of photographs, courtesy of SallyAnn Rogers, of the College Park MD Little Tavern. Note the Blue Sky Puppet Theatre performing across the street in front of the book exchange.
A shot from the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties
Little Tavern Mug
January 2, 2010 by dinermanWhile at the new years day party of some good friends (and fellow roadside enthusiasts), I spotted this Little Tavern mug amongst their collection. They were kind enough to allow me to photograph and post it.
Grantham Farm / Cashell Farm- Rockville, Maryland
December 31, 2009 by dinermanWhile out driving around with a friend of mine, we spotted a glimpse of this gem through the trees. Parking the car, we hiked through a good stretch of brambles and came upon this incredible house. Unfortunately, as is so often the case it seems, the light failed on us. Another trip is in order. If not within the next three days, then in the summer, provided it’s still standing then.
The History can be found here.
My buddy Zach, wheelman for this trip, in front of the barn.
The Cashell farm, constructed circa 1860 with a Queen-Anne addition, was previously surveyed by the Maryland- Capital Park and Planning Comission and was designated as a historic site by the M-NCPPC in 1984, in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Though the property retains the integrity of its architecture and setting, the buildings suffer from deterioration. The owner of the property has boarded over the first story windows of the main house and has not taken measures to maintain the secondary structures. Since the last survey, at least two wooden barns have collapsed. Two wooden barns, two hay storage buildings, two silos, a tile sided storage building, a garage, a shed, the main house, a stone building and two tenant houses still remain. The outbuildings associated with the main house, as well as the two tenant houses were not mentioned in the previous survey form and a description of these structures follows. The secondary structures of the Cashell farmhouse are in a semi-circle arrangement on the east side of the house. A paved driveway passes the front, or south elevation of the main house, the begins a large curve around to the rear of the main house. Along the south side of the curve are a general-purpose barn, two hay storage buildings and a livestock barn. At the east end of the curve are two tile silos and a 1 story concrete/tile storage building. The north side of the curve has a garage and a shed. To the rear of the main house is a 1-store, side-gable house.
J.H. Cashell (Grantham) Farm- 5867 Muncaster Mill Rd.
The earliest section of the frame Cashell Farmhouse, in the American farmhouse style, was built in the mid 19th century by the Hon. Hazel H. Cashell. His son John H. Added a turriculated, jerkin-headed- Queen Anne block at the end of that century.
Important for its association with the Cashell family as well as the high level of architecture archieved by the hybrid-style building.
Joel Plaskett interview Published.
December 30, 2009 by dinermanInterview in Guitar International Magazine.
I had the privilege to interview singer and multi-instrumentalist Joel Plaskett for Guitar International. You’d be hard pressed to find a nicer guy to talk guitars with. Take a listen to some of his music- It’s my go-to soundtrack for road trips.
Little Tavern mural- Wheaton, MD
December 28, 2009 by dinermanOverview of mural
Detail of Little Tavern
“The Spirit of Wheaton” 1990.
The former location of the Wheaton Little Tavern. The frame of the sign is still standing, but the insert has been replaced.
Site Plan of the corner, showing where the Wheaton Little Tavern was originally.
Info on mural and its location
