Long Gone Regional Chains

Does anyone remember a small chain in the Boston area called Pewter Pot Muffin house or something similar?. It was a sit down restaurant with many, many different kinds of muffins and it had several types of tea. There was one fairly near the Boston Common and I think several more around town.

Charlie

quote:

Russell, you brought up some great memories of old Memphis restaurants. Actually, there are four Danver's still operating in the Memphis area. Their food is just as good as you remember it.

I believe the Kettle at the corner of Lamar and Winchester is still open, however, I wouldn't visit that part of town if I had too.

Also, you are spot on about some good BBQ at Coleman's and Loeb's. I don't know what happened to Coleman's but I know that the Loeb family decided to close their BBQ chain, as well as their laundromats and convenience stores in order to focus on their real estate business. Do you remember Gridley's BBQ? I think they've all but closed down for good, as well.

T.J.

Hi, T.J.--

It does my heart good to know Danver's is still doing well. My last trip over that way was in '99, so I was wondering. I lived in Tupelo from 1971-78, and had my first one there. When I pass through on US-78, I always get off the main drag and literally snake my way over to where it is (near the middle of town!).

Tupelo used to have a Loeb's ... and damn near half a dozen Coleman's scattered about! We ate Coleman's quite a bit, but never did Loeb's, but I remember the "pig holding up the sign." They must've been on every other corner in Mempho, becuase I've seen a lot of those old signs with the weird-shaped posts, since painted over.

We used to have the Red Hot & Blue chain over here in Savannah, but it closed down last year. Fantastic BBQ; I called it Coleman's Part Deux (the only thing missing in my eyes were styrofoam containers with big yellow crowns on 'em). Funny, my wife - who grew up in SW Ga. - mourned the loss even more. Go figure.

Gridley's doesn't ring a bell. If it wasn't in Tupelo, or advertised on Memphis TV (which we got via cable), it probably escaped my young radar back then.

Pardon my rambling; I'm glad I found this board. I'm a hopeless roadside/old-americana/nostalgic freak.

Russell in Savannah, Ga.

quote:

Originally posted by jeepguy

I used to race Motocross with the Grady clan when i lived in Memphis.A ton of kids and all their bikes etc were painted a puke orange. Tupelo right? Went to Grady's once and it didn't come close to White Castle or Krystal. Pretty weird place...

Jeepguy:

Yes, it was Tupelo. We ate there once -- bear in mind this was ca. 1972, before any 'well-known' burger chains came to town (at that point, the only chain places were KFC, Pizza Hut, Sherer's Drive-In and a couple of Memphis-based BBQ joints). Stuck Mom, Dad and myself as a _very_ poor-man's Krystal. You're right, it didn't come anywhere close.

1970s Tupelo had a couple of interesting places of her own: first which comes to mind was Dudie's Diner -- Genuine converted-diner-car eatery. There was also Chat-N-Chew, Vannelli's (pizza), and what to this day was the finest fish restaurant I ever experienced, Cole's Fish Camp. At the dead end of a country road southwest of the city. Dad told me Cole's was a front/decoy operation for the largest bootlegger in northeast Mississippi, back when the entire state was dry. Place has been gone since at least 1984.

Where's the friggin' DeLorean when you need it????

Russell in Savannah, Ga.

I remember the Pewter Pot,there was one right in Salem Square.I think I ate there once but dont remember much about it.
There were a lot of chains in Mass. when I lived there.I guess the better ones like Bickford's (where my all time favorite waitress worked,bless her heart) and Papa Gino's are still around.Curt Gowdy's Howdy Beefburger went under a long time ago.From what I can see, The 99 is now a pretty good sized chain,seems like I can recall when they only had a couple locations (one was underneath the old Boston Garden).Brigham's is still around I guess,we hung out there a lot in High School.I remember a small chain called Mr Hamburg,the only location I knew of was in North Beverly.There were a handful of Gino's burger and chicken places (named after Baltimore Colt Gino Marchetti) but they were all gone by the early 70's.Same with the elsewhere-mentioned Valle's Steakhouse.There were a few Burger Chefs,one of which is now Bill and Bob's Roast beef in Peabody square.
I wouldnt say New England is hostile to chains but it just seemed there were way too many one-store owner operator places with great food that did solid business,so that the homogenized portion-controlled places were for the most part not necessary.

A couple of "catch-me-ups" on previous posts.
A & W is active here in Southern Indiana mainly as a joint-venture with Long John Silver's. But the baby/mama/daddy/grand-daddy Burgers are alive.
TRISTAN...The Duff's I remember was here in Jeffersonville Indiana in the ealy 80's. It disappeared when I did my return to the West decade. (Not related actions I hope)
ARTIC CIRCLES suck when you are sober. However, like White Castles, at 4am when you beyond Hung-Over and reconsidering your committment to the temperance movement, they become a Thanksgiving Feast.

It seems that most of the postings on this list are about Mid-West and Eastern long gone chains. How about a few for the SoCal/LA crowd like:
Tiny Naylors
DuPars
Peaks
The Clock
Chris & Pitts
Kentucky Boys
The Hot Dog Show
Come on folks. We might have escaped the smog and traffic but the memories should still be working.

Russell,

Just wanted you to know that I had a roast beef sandwich AND a cheeseburger AND some fries at Danver's today...just in your honor. Apparently, your original post got my mind spinning and my stomach growling. Haha. As a matter of fact, I mentioned that I was going to Danver's for lunch and about a dozen of us ended up there. Hopefully, that kind of business will keep them going for a while.

I had no idea that Loeb's had BBQ shacks any where other than Memphis proper. It's funny, too, that you mentioned their old signs with the pig holding up their logo. My buddy who works in construction saved one side of an old Loeb sign while they were doing some demolition work. The sign has been rewired and proudly and brightly shines in his garage. Brings back great memories. Especially when we've got a couple of slabs or a picnic in the smoker.

By the way, no apology necessary for the "rambling"; I, too, am an unabashed and hopeless roadside/old-americana/nostalgic freak!

Have a great weekend and keep posting!

T.J.

I don't have time to read through all 15 pages of this thread so excuse me if this has been discussed, but how about Hot Shoppes? This was a chain in the Washington DC area owned by the Marriot family who subsequently developed the hotel chain. Anyway, when I was a kid going out to eat often meant going to the Hot Shoppe and I almost always got a tuna sandwich--I loved 'em. I think the one we went to was on Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring but it's a long time ago and I could be wrong about that. My grandma, who knew the Marriots I think, bought some stock in Hot Shoppes in the early '50s or late '40's and made a little money.

quote:

Originally posted by Rex Allen

I sure do remember Woolworths Lunch counters, Particularly the one in San Francisco. It was at the intersection of Powell and Market Street in the Flood Building. You sat at a counter that looked out on the turn around for the cable car. In July or August, my grand mother would say "Alma" lets go down to Woolworths and watch the tourist ladys in thir silk dresses freezing their asses off! They would put on their mink coats and be off. (July and August are San Francisco's coldest months). I was very young, it was before WWII. Alma was my mother.

Hehehehe! Did that today! Went down to the cable car turnaround at Powell & Market to laugh at the tourists in shorts (you don't see silk dresses much anymore). Well, actually I went there to buy a monthly transit pass for August, but I did take the opportunity to laugh. Unfortunately, the Woolworth's is gone, replaced by a Gap store, but I think they both depend on sales of sweatshirts to freezing tourists. I also wanted to grab a bit of lunch, but roadfood in that area is now hard to come by. Plenty of places to eat, but since they all cater to tourists, they are too pricey or too mediocre. All I really wanted was a hot dog, but the only place to get one was from a street cart for $4 and I wouldn't pay that. Until very recently you could get a cheap dog in the Old Navy store down the block at Market and 4th--they had a pretty decent food area called "Torpedo Joe's" (sold a B+ chili dog) but they closed it. So I ended up settling for some onion rings from Burger King.

quote:

Originally posted by tennthomas

Russell,

Just wanted you to know that I had a roast beef sandwich AND a cheeseburger AND some fries at Danver's today...just in your honor. Apparently, your original post got my mind spinning and my stomach growling. Haha. As a matter of fact, I mentioned that I was going to Danver's for lunch and about a dozen of us ended up there. Hopefully, that kind of business will keep them going for a while.

I had no idea that Loeb's had BBQ shacks any where other than Memphis proper. It's funny, too, that you mentioned their old signs with the pig holding up their logo. My buddy who works in construction saved one side of an old Loeb sign while they were doing some demolition work. The sign has been rewired and proudly and brightly shines in his garage. Brings back great memories. Especially when we've got a couple of slabs or a picnic in the smoker.

By the way, no apology necessary for the "rambling"; I, too, am an unabashed and hopeless roadside/old-americana/nostalgic freak!

Have a great weekend and keep posting!

T.J.

Note to self: hmmmmm, if I leave Savannah right now, I might make it to Danver's in time for a late lunch.....

Thanks, T.J., for the sammich(es) in my name.

It's strange, for all the eating options we have on the Georgia coast -- and there are some wonderful places -- I have yet to find a good roast beef sandwich, good barbecue or "country" fish in these parts.
My kingdom for a Friday night artery-cloggin' AYCE fried seafood buffet within an hour's drive.

Our local "entertainment" rag's annual "best of" readers' poll chose Red Hot & Blue as best BBQ, several years running. What a vote of confidence for Savannah-style 'cue!

LOEB'S: Yes, Tupelo had one. I always thought it was a Coleman's clone -- same all-glass facade and backlit signage around the top. Loeb's left town, ohhhhh 1973-ish?

I'd love to see a pic of that rewired sign! Have a good weekend, yourself.

Russell
....stuck inside of Savannah with the Memphis blues again

quote:

Originally posted by McFan

quote:

Originally posted by Alaga

THE KETTLE: Denny's-esque restaurant. For a time was supposedly owned by radical oil tycoon H. L. Hunt

Is it the same as this one at http://www.kettle.com/?

I hadn't realized Kettles were still in business and I see not only that they are but there are some within 25 miles of me. I wonder if it was also called Dutch Kettle or if that was a different chain? I was eating at one of the latter before 1968, I'm sure.

Both were/appear to be Toddle House clones; we've discussed Toddle Houses/Dobbs Houses before, either on this thread or others. I've been wanting a MasterBurger, Toddle House's top burger, for months, since being reminded of them, and I see Kettle has them on the menu. I'll have to get over to Pasadena and try one.

quote:

Originally posted by Tristan Indiana

I haven't gone though all 16 pages, so I don't know if this has been discussed before but, does anyone remember the chain of hamburger joints called Little Tavern ? Little hamburgers sold out of these tiny little stores mostly in the mid-atlantic and midwest.

Tristan,

Thought you might find this link regarding Little Tavern interesting:

http://www.homestead.com/silverspringhistory/LittleTavern.html

T.J.

quote:

Originally posted by tennthomas

quote:

Originally posted by Tristan Indiana

I haven't gone though all 16 pages, so I don't know if this has been discussed before but, does anyone remember the chain of hamburger joints called Little Tavern ? Little hamburgers sold out of these tiny little stores mostly in the mid-atlantic and midwest.

Tristan,

Thought you might find this link regarding Little Tavern interesting:

http://www.homestead.com/silverspringhistory/LittleTavern.html

T.J.

Brings back a story: When I was a kid we used to go sailing in Annapolis and one day, after coming in from such a trip, my dad, his buddy and I were sitting in a retaurant in the harbor area of Annapolis (I probably would have been happier getting a sub from Chris's Sub Base a block away but that's another story) and there was another group in the next booth talking loudly . A lady in the group was proclaiming there was nowhere to eat in Silver Spring and trashing one place after another. So my dad's buddy turned around and said, "Exuse me madam, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation and I just have to tell you about this wonderful place I've discovered called the Little Tavern." The group apparently wasn't familiar with it and sucked up all his gushing enthusiasm about the fine service and wonderful food.

Ever since then I've had many laughs imagining this group when they went there expecting a white table cloth meal.

So far as I know, there is still a Chris n Pitts on Artesia Boulevard just off the 91 freeway (Bellflower Blvd off ramp) in Bellflower, Southeastern Los Angeles County. I moved from CA in mid -2001, but it was going strong then.

Any of you folks remember the old Mr. Swiss burger/icecream drive inn's? They had a corned beef sand that was fantastic. It was the first job I had---65 cents an hour. My first paycheck was for 13 dollars. LOL

Here's a recent review of Papoo's Hot Dog Show, (Toluca Lake, CA) a place I've driven past many times but never stopped in - I instead tended to go to Bob's Big Boy http://www.bobs.net/ across the street, one of the last of IT'S type.

http://hotdogspot.blogspot.com/2004/05/papoos-hot-dog-show-where-dogs-are.html

quote:

Originally posted by BBq King

It seems that most of the postings on this list are about Mid-West and Eastern long gone chains. How about a few for the SoCal/LA crowd like:
Tiny Naylors
DuPars
Peaks
The Clock
Chris & Pitts
Kentucky Boys
The Hot Dog Show
Come on folks. We might have escaped the smog and traffic but the memories should still be working.

Anybody from my area of Southern Alleghenies remember the Dairy Dell restaurants that were opened by the SaniDairy corp. of Johnstown? Coffee shop style food, with an ice cream fountain; all closed now.
(Even the dairy was bought out by Deans)

Another chain in PA that is now gone was The Arena, originally from State College, that featured slow roasted Prime Rib and one of the first salad bars in the area.

Was the restaurant in Arcadia,CA with the windmill on the roof a Tiny Naylors? I lived about 2 blocks away from Santa Anita racetack in the early 80s and remember passing by this place everyday. I seem to remember it being called Tinys. And this one is a longshot but does anyone remember the little breakfast cafe in downtown Monrovia. I went there most Sundays and it would be packed full. I'd grab a counter stool when one would come available. I consider it a true roodfood experience.

quote:

Originally posted by Tristan Indiana

Was the restaurant in Arcadia,CA with the windmill on the roof a Tiny Naylors? I lived about 2 blocks away from Santa Anita racetack in the early 80s and remember passing by this place everyday. I seem to remember it being called Tinys. And this one is a longshot but does anyone remember the little breakfast cafe in downtown Monrovia. I went there most Sundays and it would be packed full. I'd grab a counter stool when one would come available. I consider it a true roodfood experience.

That was definitely a Tiny Naylors, I remember it. Don't think I ever went there, but there was a small coffee shop about a block away on Huntington that we went to a lot... can't think of the name.

You're thinking about Le Roy's in Monrovia, still a terrific place - here's a Chowhound article on it:

http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles10/messages/45776.html

quote:

Originally posted by Tristan Indiana

Was the restaurant in Arcadia,CA with the windmill on the roof a Tiny Naylors? I lived about 2 blocks away from Santa Anita racetack in the early 80s and remember passing by this place everyday. I seem to remember it being called Tinys. And this one is a longshot but does anyone remember the little breakfast cafe in downtown Monrovia. I went there most Sundays and it would be packed full. I'd grab a counter stool when one would come available. I consider it a true roodfood experience.

The restaurant with the windmill was Van de Kamps.

While I was thinking of long gone SoCal/LA places, does anyone remember Woody"s Smorgusburger. You could top you 'burger with nearly anything--including raisens!

The windmill talk reminds me of a restaurant that came to Independence during the late '60s or early '70s. It was a seafood place, and I'm pretty sure it was a chain, but I don't remember what it was called. The restaurant featured a large windmill on its roof, and the menu opened with text that read, "The Zuider Zee is dangerous..."

This place closed within a couple of years and reopened later as Sam Wilson's Meat Market.

Does that ring a bell with anyone?

Jim3am and BT-
It is fun using the Cal-Tchrs Retirement check here in So Indiana..without paying the Cal St. Taxes they tried to shove on me when I first retired. The $$$ go a lot farther here than they would have there. One of my few regrets is that if we had held onto the house for another couple of year the selling price would have doubled. But why be greedy??
Re- the Chris and Pitts on Artesia we were at that one and the Loves on La Palma during our 2002 trip. Haven't checked them since but
A quick check of the yellow pages shows no Chris and Pitts listing in Orange County...but the Loves in Brea and Garden Grove are still going strong

quote:

Originally posted by Bill B.

The windmill talk reminds me of a restaurant that came to Independence during the late '60s or early '70s. It was a seafood place, and I'm pretty sure it was a chain, but I don't remember what it was called. The restaurant featured a large windmill on its roof, and the menu opened with text that read, "The Zuider Zee is dangerous..."

This place closed within a couple of years and reopened later as Sam Wilson's Meat Market.

Does that ring a bell with anyone?

I think the name of the restaurant with the windmill was the Zuider Zee. I certainly remember Sam Wilson's Meat Market. I knew lots of people who worked at any one of their locations. I think they had at least 3. Sam Wilson's was part of the Gilbert Robinson Group. They founded Houlihan's Old Place, one of the original fern bars. We use to joke about the full name of Sam Wilson's being an apt title, it being the swinging seventies. The food was really much better than Applebee's or any of those huge multi-unit chains. Although the concept certainly gave birth to the chains we have now.

I spent three years waiting tables at Sam Wilson's. When I started, the most expensive item on our menu was a 12-ounce, USDA Choice top sirloin steak. The full steak dinner, salad bar included, sold for $4.95. You're right, the food there was really very good.

SW also had a disco, and it was THE place in Independence to meet women. It also had the first Pong game in town. Remember Pong?

Bill B, I was friends with a band that played at that very Sam Wilson's. Everything you remember is true! SW also had, if I remember correctly, a great salad bar. If not, maybe I'm thinking of Washington Street Station. Does anyone remember that place? It seems as if the salad bar was in an open sided trolley car sitting in the middle of a large dining area.

That would be the salad bar at Sam Wilson's. We used chilled pewter plates and kept a cheese block at the end of the bar. I still have a couple of those plates.

Well that's pretty funny, 'cuz I managed the Love Records on Noland Rd. between I-70 & Hwy 40.My best friend Max's brother sold Guitars at
The one and only Wild Woody's.Working around the corner from Stephenson's for 2 years is one reason I'm always inclined to suggest it as an alternative to Stroud's.If I may ask, Z, what was the band? We were compiling a list of KC bands on: http://www.oldkc.com .... Bill B. and you might be interested in looking in.
Washington Street Station: I remember the
streetcar very well. It was too close to Jenny's, the Savoy Grill, and Italian Gardens for us to go eat spaghetti there more than once.

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

Well that's pretty funny, 'cuz I managed the Love Records on Noland Rd. between I-70 & Hwy 40.My best friend Max's brother sold Guitars at
The one and only Wild Woody's.Working around the corner from Stephenson's for 2 years is one reason I'm always inclined to suggest it as an alternative to Stroud's.If I may ask, Z, what was the band? We were compiling a list of KC bands on: http://www.oldkc.com .... Bill B. and you might be interested in looking in.
Washington Street Station: I remember the
streetcar very well. It was too close to Jenny's, the Savoy Grill, and Italian Gardens for us to go eat spaghetti there more than once.

Wild Woody's Bargain Barn. Oh, yeah. What a great place that was. I don't think I was ever brave enough to eat anything they sold inside there, but I can still remember the smell of the place. And the coffins hanging from the ceiling! I knew Mitzi Overman and her husband, who ran the pharmacy.

Bussed tables at Stephenson's during my senior year in high school. We used to lower bags of apple fritters into the bushes from a second-story window and take them home with us. God, they were good.

"While I was thinking of long gone SoCal/LA places, does anyone remember Woody"s Smorgusburger. You could top you 'burger with nearly anything--including raisens!"

There's still a Woody's Smorgasburger on Sepulveda Blvd, in El Segundo, by the L.A.airport. I seem to remember that there was one in Westwood, too, but I could be suffering from brain freeze. ;-)

Haven't been there in yonks, but they were great! Loved the burgers, and they also had (and probably still have, since El Segundo would rise in revolt!) some really great onion rings.

Gotta go back!!

And while we're skipping down memory lane, does anyone remember a restaurant in Manhattan Beach called "The Bay 90's"? They had a zillion different cuts of steak, and a really creative name for each of them! Loved that place, but sadly, it's been gone for 20 years, now. :-(

FF

quote:

Originally posted by Danmel

When I lived in Boston in the early 80s there was a chain of coffee shop tpe restuants called Pewter Pot. They had, natch, a colonial theme and good muffins and coffee. Are they still around???

I ask that same question a few pages back. I think all the Pewter Pot's are gone. I would go at least twice a week when I lived in the area.

Charlie