The Rebirth of Little Tavern?

I received this message today and thought it was best to share it as a post, rather than let it become buried in with the rest of the comments which have been posted on this blog.

In response to all that is written about the passing of Little Tavern Shops, the small size concept is dead.

However Little Tavern is not. . .We are moving ahead and will be opening New Stores in the MD-DC Area in the near future. We have retained every thing related to the past Little Taverns, from Design, Looks, Colors and Signage, including Pictures of the past & Harry F. Duncan, which will be incorporated in the Stores and Marketing.

I noticed somewhere in Your acticles about the Little Tavern Mugs. We have the Orginal One, which is being re-made and will be available for sale at reasonable Price.

James E. Cumbest Jr. T/A Little Tavern Shop LLC. 410-661-4394 Fax 410-66-4397

Jeccoinc.com

The Little Tavern That Could

Reprinted with permission from Quirks. Quirks was a free, bimonthly magazine. “QUIRKS was where you’d find the silly and the sacred, the interesting and the unusual in a community right outside of our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.”

If you’d like to know more, some of their webpages are archived here.

I’m afraid the scan I have of this article, from the mid 1990s, clipped the bottom of the text off, so there’s a bit missing. Some of the facts seem a bit off as well, but I hope you enjoy it. Note the “Toddle House” sign on the Bethesda Location in the top photos. The other two are the two locations once in Silver Spring.

Once there were dozens in the country. Now, there’s only one. “Club LT,” you might have called it. For more than three generations, the Little Tavern Shops were a classic Washington hangout. Mention the name to anyone living here during their teen-age or 20-something years and the stories will pour forth about late night “death burgers” after a night on the town. The chain prided itself on dishing up food 24 hours a day to all sorts of people- businessmen, shoppers or locals just killing time. The motto “buy ‘em by the bag, ” once emblazened in neon over every sho, lured the hungry to feast on the trademark tiny burgers that could be gulped down in a few bites.

The chain was started in St. Louis in 1924 by Harry F. Duncan. He moved to the Washington area several years later, settled in Silver Spring, and began opening his distinctive green-roofed restaurants. His “baby beef burgers” were a hit, and by the 1940s there were nearly 50 Little Tavern Shops in our area. . .
A few originals still remain, on New Hampshire Avenue in Northwest Washington, on Route 1 in Laurel, and on Viers Mill Road in Wheaton. For 67 cents a burger (vs. 5 cents in 1928!), you can still take home a sack, although the logo on the bag is long gone.

An authentic Little Tavern Shop is instantly recognizable. Cute and tiny, it looks like a dollhouse set amongst the big buildings of the urban landscape. . . Designed in the period just before World War II, Little Tavern restaurants were one of the first carry-out restaurants in the area.

Inside, the lights are bright, the floors and walls are tile, and the counter is Formica. No booths – the place is too small. . .

. . .have been stripped of many of their unique features, the distinctive colors painted over. However, one converted location – “Ollie’s” on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring- has retained the charm of the original, both inside and out. It gleams with the loving attention poured into it. . .

Little Tavern Locations past and present

In the 1940s, there were approximately 50 Little Taverns operating in and around Washington D.C. 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. 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.

2. 2628 Connecticut avenue northwest Washington DC
Torn Down – Now the site of the Woodley Park-Zoo / Adams Morgan metro station

3. 1110 H St. Northwest Washington DC
Torn Down Now the site of the Capitol City Brewing Company downtown location?

4. 3701 New Hampshire Ave. NW Washington DC
Torn Down. Now the site of the Sweet Mango Cafe.

5. 5100 Georgia Ave. NW Washington DC
Torn Down. Now a used car lot.

6. 1309 New York Avenue, N.E. Washington DC
Moved to 1251 New York Ave.

7. 1251 New York Avenue, N.E. Washington DC
Torn Down. Now a school bus parking lot.

8. 628-632 North Capitol Street, N.W. Washington DC
Torn Down.

9. 2716 Good Hope Road S.E., Washington, D.C.
Torn Down. Now a strip mall.

10. 718 H Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
Converted. Now Super Nails.

11. 3968 Minnesota Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C.
Torn Down. Now strip mall featuring “Rainbow” and “Downtown Locker Room”. Next door to former Senator Theatre, built 1942.

12. 2537 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C.
Converted. Now Continental Construction Next door to the former Highland Theatre.

13. 6th Street and Morse Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
Converted Now Subway.

14. 504 13th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.
Torn Down

15. 828 North Washington Street, Alexandria, Virginia
Converted Now Chinese Restaurant. Photo taken during Little Tavern days.

16. Wisconsin Avenue and Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland
Converted. Now Golden House Chinese Food.

17. 135 Main Street, Annapolis, Maryland
Closed/Torn Down Nothing left at the site.

18. 11143 Viers Mill Road and Grandview Avenue, Wheaton, Maryland
Torn Down , Though sign-frame is still there, advertising Chuck Levin’s. Site Plan. Painting.

19. 6414 Holabird Ave Baltimore, MD 21224
Closed. Picture.

20. 3515 Eastern Ave Baltimore, MD 21224
Closed. Picture.

21. Greenmount Ave, 32nd St. Baltimore, MD
Converted. Now Sea Blue. Formerly Kennedy Fried Chicken.

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

23. 519 East 25th Street Baltimore MD
Converted. Now Pizza Deal.
24. Belvedere Ave. Baltimore, MD- East of Park Heights

25. 10 Park Ave Baltimore, MD
Converted – now Lighthouse Pub

26. 7413 Baltimore Ave College Park, MD 20740
Converted Photo – Now JD’s Roadhouse?

27. 8230 Georgia Ave Silver Spring, MD
Torn Down Read full story here and here.

28. Corner of Fenton St. and Wayne Ave. Silver Spring, MD
Torn Down Picture as Chinese Restaurant . Pictures as an operating Little Tavern.

29. 3333 M. Street NW Washington DC -
Converted Now Sweetgreen

30. 1303 Wisconsin Ave NW. Washington DC -
Converted Now Paolo’s

31. 655 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E. Washington, DC 20003
Converted Now Little Pub

32. 3125 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA
Converted Now Goody’s

33. Rt. 1 Laurel, MD -
Converted Now Laurel Tavern Donuts Blog Post.

34. 7801 Coastal Hwy, Ocean City, Maryland
Gone/Converted (Seasonal)

35. 1221 U Street, NW – The Hamburger Grill
Gone. Storefront? Run by Little Tavern Shops. Referenced in 1933 “The Afro American” And here.

Luther Reason Ray

The Circle Theatre
Luther R. Ray Architect
Vitrolite Products Washington
created 1935

The Circle was located at 2105 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC. It was torn down in the 1980s.
In his younger days, my dad took advantage of their low priced ticketbook – also popular with homeless in the area.

I wonder if Ray was an Eddie Cantor fan?

More info on the Circle

The theater name isn’t on this one- can anyone identify it? Likely in DC, possibly in Maryland. Probably long since bulldozed.

According to the plan, the front would be walnut agate vitrolite, precast stone and stainless.

Hahn’s Shoes

The placement of all the windows and dimensions look almost identical to their 1891 store at 7th and K streets Washington, which burned in 1937.

Source: Shorpy

Alterations to the Hilltop Market – Meats – Groceries
Hilltop Market, 5706 Georgia Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

Carr Bros and Boswell
71 Maryland Avenue, Hyattsville, Maryland

Super A&P market

Little Tavern Design

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.

Miniature Church- Maine

We stopped here on the way to Halifax last month. Very interesting old cemetery with a replica of the church which once stood at the front.

Quoddy Wigwam Gift Shop – Perry, Maine

We stopped to eat lunch across the road from this place at an old family restaurant.
It’s located on Route 1 in Perry Maine, and appears to be for sale.

Some of Quoddy’s classic moccasins

In 1909 Harry Smith Shorey started making his own shoes in Downeast Maine. Today, the tradition continues in Perry , on the shores of Passamaquoddy Bay, smack dab on the 45th parallel; half-way to the North Pole and as far east as you can travel in the continental U.S.

Source: Quoddy History

For more info, view the Quoddy Wigwam Gift Shop website (last updated 2004) The following interior photos are sourced from that website

Hodgman’s frozen custard- New Gloucester, ME

We stayed for two nights on Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester / Gray, Maine. It’s a tradition to eat dinner at Cole Farms and get custard at Hodgman’s.

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Pyrofax Gas Service – Maine

Took a shot of this nicely preserved neon on an abandoned building. Route 1 Maine. Gas. Cooks. Heats. Makes Ice.

Pyrofax is still around.

Another view.

A-1 Diner- Gardiner, Maine

The A-1 is one of my all time favorite diners. Great food with an excellent selection served in a beautifully maintained Worcester semi-streamliner in a unique location.

After debating between the South of the Border Burger (with chili and pepperjack) and the North of the Border Burger (with cheese and Canadian Bacon), I picked the North, I figured it was appropriate. My dad got a plain hamburger.
The burgers were big and juicy, the fries were fresh and hand-cut. For dessert we had a slice of oreo cheesecake.

Front of diner with flowerboxes.

A-1 Diner website