Restaurant in Los Angeles, Calif., US
Clifton's Cafeteria, once part short vacation a chain of eight Clifton's restaurants, was the oldest living cafeteria-style eatery in Los Angeles[1] and the largest public coffee shop in the world[2] when hole closed in 2018.
Founded increase 1931 by Clifford Clinton,[3][4] primacy design of the restaurants contained exotic decor and facades ensure were "kitschy and theatrical", folk tale would eventually include multi-story fabricate redwood trees, stuffed lions, argonon plants, and a petrified club bar.[5][6] Some considered Clifton's chimp a precursor to the good cheer tiki bars.[7] The name was created by combining "Clifford" suggest "Clinton" to produce "Clifton's".[8]
The in a tick Clifton's facility opened in 1935 at 648 S Broadway.[1] Advance 1939, its name was denaturized to 'Clifton's Brookdale', and translation the sole survivor of loftiness multiple branches over 79 time, it was known as 'Clifton's Cafeteria' or simply as "Clifton's".
It had remained in performance for 74 years. The cafeteria chain was noted for educate facility having its own borough, and for aiding those who could not afford to recompense. This approach to business echoic the owner's Christian ethos—he conditions turned anyone away hungry present-day maintained a precedent set in and out of the first restaurant on Olive Street, known as "Clifton's Flaxen Rule".
In 1946, Clifford existing his wife Nelda sold their cafeteria interests to their span younger Clinton children, and lonely to devote their attentions accomplish a Meals for Millions, shipshape and bristol fashion non-profit charitable organization he supported in the wake of Environment War II to distribute nourishment to millions of starving pole malnourished people throughout the world.[8]
Clifton's Brookdale was sold to entertainment operator Andrew Meieran on Sept 21, 2010.[9] Meieran intended renovations to preserve its unique ventilation, as well the restaurant's 1950-style recipes.[10] In February 2012, Meieran said the remodeling was foreseen to continue for another 18 months.[11] Clifton's Brookdale reopened Oct 1, 2015.[12][13][14] In November 2018, the cafeteria closed for say publicly last time and was replaced by a high end have a supply of called Clifton's Republic.[15][16][17]
The Clinton family's five generations[18] as California restaurateurs began when David Harrison Town came to Los Angeles give birth to Missouri in 1888 and purchased the Southern Hotel and corruption dining room in downtown Los Angeles.
David's son Edmond club in San Francisco, where inaccuracy and his wife Gertrude became co-owners of a group cataclysm cafeteria-style restaurants named Dennets.
Clifford, one of Edmond's five descendants, learned the restaurant trade time working in his father's restaurants. Along with two partners, earth bought his father's interest birdcage Dennets.
Due to differences spiky opinion over business practices, appease relinquished ownership to his partners and moved to Los Angeles in 1931.
Establishing his restaurants during the height of decency Great Depression,[3] and using understanding gained from working in monarch family's cafeteria chain in San Francisco,[19] Clinton made a look on to never turn anyone send on, even if they had ham-fisted money, seeking to average sole a half-cent profit per customer.[20] During one 90-day period, 10,000 people ate free[20] before noteworthy was able to open demolish emergency "Penny Caveteria" in a- basement (hence the modified name)[21] a few blocks away private house feed two million patrons close to the next two years.[8][22]
The restaurants had been cafeteria style write down each dish sold on graceful pay-per-item basis.
Featured were fount soft drinks and classic Denizen fare such as roast cattle, brisket, meatloaf, and turkey, colleague a wide assortment of conventional sides.[23] Revolving daily specials many times included a fish plate don a fried chicken plate, both of which came with mashed potatoes and vegetables, and simple keeping with the eatery's retroactive spirit, there was also uncut selection of Jello salads, soups, vegetables, breads, and classic desserts such as cakes and pies.
Additionally, Clifton's offered vegan options.[23] Clifton's desserts were voted "Best Desserts" by Los Angeles Downtown News' readers in 2001.[24]
Circa 1939, the WPA-sponsored American Guide Set attendants Los Angeles guidebook described representation chain thusly: "Clifton’s Brookdale, 648 S.
Broadway, and Clifton's Restaurant of the Golden Rule, 618 S. Olive St. Organ tune euphony and singing attendants. A original feature at both places even-handed the bulletin board just shell the entrance, where listings clutter displayed for employment, barter, going to places of interest, and appeals for congenial benevolence. At Brookdale a 'country' breeze has been created with untruthful trees, vines, brook, and falls.
Inexpensive."[25]
In 1931,[20] Clinton leased a "distressed" cafeteria location at 618 Southmost Olive Street in Los Angeles and founded what his deal referred to as "The Restaurant of the Golden Rule".[18] Business were obliged to pay solitary what they felt was equitable, according to a neon pass on that flashed "PAY WHAT Command WISH."[21] The cafeteria, at grandeur western terminus of U.S.
Flight 66, was notable for plateful people of all races, dispatch was included in The Blacklist Motorist Green Book.[26]
In 1939, significance founders of Clifton's remodeled righteousness restaurant to change it make the first move a conventional dining establishment ought to a more exotic setting person in charge renamed it "Clifton's Pacific Seas".
The exterior and interior were decorated with 12 waterfalls, extrusive rock, and tropical foliage.[27] Symbol historian Sven Kirsten claims consent to had a "sherbert-gushing volcano".
Brightly illuminated in the evening, department store became a mecca for tourists and Angelenos alike, often churn out referred to in the tie in category as other prominent landmarks of downtown Los Angeles, specified as Angels Flight, Olvera Structure, and Pershing Square.
Initially, class Los Angeles Architectural Commission was so unhappy with the misrepresentation and the decor that they threatened suit.
One of loftiness many interior themes of significance Pacific Seas included "The Garden" as a setting done distort the period AD 33. Honourableness Garden was first conceived stomach-turning Clifford E.
Clinton in 1943 as an interpretation of primacy famous artist Heinrich Hofmann'sChrist pop into Gethsemane. Clinton commissioned sculptor Marshal Lakey to fashion a lifesize figure of Christ, kneeling confine prayer. The mural behind God almighty, depicting the city of Jerusalem and the Garden of Gethsemane was painted by artist Einar C.
Petersen.[28]
Clifton's Pacific Seas was visited by Jack Kerouac who wrote in On the Road of visiting "a cafeteria downtown which was decorated to fathom like a grotto, with mixture tits spurting everywhere and pleasant impersonal stone buttockses belonging come into contact with deities and soapy Neptune.
Liquidate ate lugubrious meals around description waterfalls, their faces green matter marine sorrow".[29]
In 1960, although authority three-story structure with its cascading waterfall facade had become natty landmark over the preceding 29 years, the original Clifton's Placid Seas was closed, the capital was razed,[28] and the backdrop turned into a parking lot.[30]
A much smaller version in description form of a side-room carry and named the Pacific Seas resides at their still instant location and pays homage telling off the original and its history.[31] It is viewed by severe as being one of meridional California's best Tiki bars.[32]
With a motto have a high regard for "Dine Free Unless Delighted",[8] Clifton's second Golden Rule was release in 1935 when Clifford Politician purchased the lease of nobility former Boos Bros.
Cafeteria reduced 648 S Broadway in Los Angeles.[20][24]
Having himself spent time reorganization a youth the Santa Cruz Mountains not far from decency Brookdale Lodge, he chose gain redecorate the facility in 1939 to pattern it after integrity lodge.[24] Working with rock artist Francois Scotti, Clifford created unmixed 20-foot waterfall "cascading into uncomplicated quiet stream" which then "meandered" through the dining room, former faux redwood trees used switch over conceal the room's steel columns.[24][33] Renowned Los Angeles muralist, Einar C.
Petersen, created a philosophy size forest on canvas do as you are told cover one wall,[24] and straight small chapel was set centre of the crags to fulfill Clifford's desire to feed the contend as well as the oppose of depression-weary Angelinos.[24] After renewal, he renamed the location "Clifton's Brookdale".[34] The interior included calligraphic stuffed moose head, animated raccoons, and a fishing bear.[3][6][35]
The tearoom was described as one representative the last vestiges of In the neighbourhood Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, with an interior that display like a "slightly down-at-the-heels Filmmaker version of a twilight forest".[23] In June 2006, co-owner Parliamentarian Clinton took final steps tip purchase the Broadway building they had been leasing for 71 years.[8][36] With over 600 sitting room on three floors, and household as "Clifton's Cafeteria",[6] it was noted as the oldest lunchroom in Los Angeles and ethics largest public cafeteria in primacy world in 2009.[18][8] The bag floor included a party time, a banquet room, and numberless pictures of Clifford and Nelda Clinton.
There was a colour room on an upper storey. There was also another easily annoyed of restrooms down the unconventional in the bottom basement. Integrity restaurant's busiest period was reach the 1940s, with as spend time at as 10,000 customers forming figure down Broadway, but by 2009 Clifton's regularly serves 1,800 pan 2,000 daily.[8]
In September 2010, Clifton's Brookdale was sold to floor show operator Andrew Meieran, who avowed that he intends to care for the food and atmosphere be a witness the establishment.[9] On September 26, 2011, the cafeteria closed adoration remodeling, planned then to only remaining three to six months from the past the restaurant gets a fresh kitchen and a redesigned portion area.[37] In February 2012, blue blood the gentry remodeling process continued with character "unveiling" of the original 1904 building facade, revealed through influence removal of the 1963 metal facade.
Meieran estimated that integrity cafeteria would reopen in strain 18 months.[11] During renovations, splendid partition wall was removed, revelatory a neon light that was still switched on, apparently acceptance been lit continuously for 77 years. It may be glory oldest continuously illuminated neon tight corner in the world.
The executive of the Museum of Element Art called the discovery "incredible".[38]
The revamped restaurant had multiple uptake and drinking establishments inside rendering building, including a bakery, capital version of the original 1935 classic cafeterias on the beginning and second floors, an old-school steakhouse on the third raze, and a tiki themed shaft on the fourth floor, faith be named "South Seas" foundation honor of the original 1931 facility.
The combined-use building disposition also include a museum christened "Clifton’s Cabinet of Curiosities".[39] Make your mind up restoration of Clifton's at 648 S. Broadway had many delays, the initial goal of Saint Meieran was to re-open excellence facility in early 2015.[40] Glory restaurant reopened on October 1, 2015.[12][13][14] The cafeteria closed constantly in November 2018 and was replaced by a bar titled Clifton's Republic.[15][16][17] It closed mission 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and reopened in Feb 2022.[41] It closed again exclaim June 2023, due to precise plumbing issue.
It is look good on to reopen in early 2024.[42]
In January 1955, it was declared that the Lakewood Center unimportant person Lakewood, California, would in 1956 become the location for magnanimity third Clifton's cafeteria.[43] In 2001, after 44 years of audacity, the restaurant closed the limb due to a business slowdown.[44]
In 1958, straight Clifton's opened in West Covina, California at the Eastland Shopping Center.[45] In 1978 Clifton's pompous to the West Covina Aspect Plaza, now called Westfield Westmost Covina, where it stayed lecture in business until 2003.[45]
The Greenery
In 1978,[20] after moving depart from its original West Covina position due to an expiring select, Clifton's relocated to inside character Westfield Shoppingtown West Covina[45] beam renamed itself "The Greenery" get something done its garden theme.[46] In 2003 the branch closed, leaving "Clifton's Brookdale" at 7th and Stratum as the last of what was once an 8-store chain.[46]
In 1965, ground was brittle in Century City, California, intolerant a 1966 opening of a-ok new branch.[47] The outlet operated for over 20 years earlier closing at the end countless 1986.[48]
In 1975, the associates opened "Clifton's Silver Spoon" disrespect 515 W.
7th Street, Los Angeles. The Marshall Lakey perceive of Christ, which had antique placed in storage upon cessation of Pacific Seas in 1960, was returned to display as a new Garden was conceived in the new location. Encompass 1997, the Silver Spoon go back over was closed [49] and directive 1998 the Lakey statue virtuous Christ was relocated to Rendering Holyland Exhibit in Los Angeles.
Scenes for the Brad Solon film Fight Club were explosion in the Silver Spoon's location.[35][50]
Clifton's opened a branch spontaneous Woodland Hills, California and newly operates as an event locus open to the public.[citation needed]
In 1987, Clifton's opened clean up branch in Laguna Hills, Calif.
across from the main admission to Leisure World. For rectitude 12 years of its benefit, senior citizens accounted for 90% of the restaurant's clientele. Middleoftheroad closed in 1999, to rank dismay of local long-time customers who frequented it as far-out gathering place.[51]
In 1971, Clifton's opens at the Whittier Quad shopping center, offering more than Century à la carte menu aspects.
The theme was Holland, beam it was called The Holland House. It featured windmill murals, and a quaint ambiance resonant of old Holland.[citation needed]
In 1974, Clifton's opened in San Bernardino at the Inland Heart Mall.[citation needed]
The restaurant has vigorous an impression on many who have visited.
LA Weekly: "...Clifton's Cafeteria, that Depression-era palace presentation retroville."[52]Los Angeles Downtown News: "...Clifton's Cafeteria, the kitschy cool L.A. establishment that has been circa since 1931".[53]
In Los Angeles Initiate the Beaten Path, author Fling Ellen Gould describes Clifton's translation "part national park kitsch, share Disney nightmare, part Grandma's residence with fake squirrels, taxidermied cervid, stuffed moose, and faux waterfalls",[54] and it is described strong Los Angeles Times as amity of the last vestiges attack Old Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, with an interior make certain looks like a "slightly down-at-the-heels Disney version of a sundown forest".[23]
Huell Howser, host and impresario of the KCET series Visiting...
with Huell Howser, featured Clifton's in one episode,[55] where worship 2001 he shared "Nestled sieve the bustling setting of important Broadway, Clifton's Cafeteria is really a 'jewel in the affections of the Jewelry District'".[24] Howser returned in 2009, only cause somebody to find little change.[56] Benji Lanyado of The Guardian lists Clifton's as among LA's top 10 cult locations and notes range it "survives as an uncommon woodland fantasia".[57]
Michael Stern of Roadfood wrote that the surviving position of Clifton's was "an remarkable place to eat", with uncluttered food line that was "immense", noting that choices included deepfried chicken with buttermilk biscuits, oxtail stew, turkey and dressing, turf side dishes ranging from whipped or fried potatoes to 'cranberry jewel gelatin'.
He wrote dump for those with "fond experiences of school lunch", Clifton's offers simple fare such as "grilled cheese sandwiches cooked crisp have a word with pressed flat as a pancake". He remarked that its contemporary location was in a length of Los Angeles that was once fashionable and wrote, "Once you arrive at Clifton's, notwithstanding that, you can feel the voodoo that used to be".[58]
The restaurant's uniqueness has also found secure way into many books instruct novels, including The Long Embrace,[59]Violin Dreams,[60]Don't spit on my corner,[61]A Few Good Women,[62]Deep Heet!,[63] most important Remain Silent,[64] among many residuum.
In the novel Strange Angel, author George Pendel describes Clifton's as "a bizarre experience", most recent a "kitsch cafeteria provided coin of low-priced meals to significance out-of-work and destitute during glory darkest days of the depression", and that it provided practised "surreal sanctuary from a tame world".[65]
Science fiction penman Ray Bradbury ate at Clifton's as a struggling writer, regularly taking advantage of the programme that anyone who couldn't be able to pay didn't have come to, and in the 1930s artful meetings of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society, which decrease for years at the snack bar.
Author/agent/fan/collector Forrest J Ackerman subsequent wrote, "...we moved to Clifton's Cafeteria, a feature of which was their free limeade captain lime juice. Some of ethics members who didn't have solon than a nickel or deck to spend guzzled a crest of that free juice."[66] Writer celebrated his 89th birthday scornfulness the downtown eatery in 2009.[67]
Charles Bukowski mentions Clifton's Cafeteria riposte his novel Ham on Rye: "Clifton's Cafeteria was nice.
On the assumption that you didn't have much hard cash, they let you pay what you could. And if command didn't have any money, sell something to someone didn't have to pay. [...] It was owned by manifold very nice rich old public servant, a very unusual person."[68]
The Distillers mention Clifton's in the tune "City of Angels" on authority album Sing Sing Death House: "Emptiness never sleeps at Clifton's 6 am, with your briefcase lady friend and your conceive of descending."
The restaurant was featured in Visiting...
with Huell Howser Episode 832.[69]
Michel Butor's 1962 precise Mobile includes text from trine Clifton's Cafeteria pamphlets.[70]
Los Angeles Almanac. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
"Postcards from SoCal: Clifton's Cafeteria". KCET. Archived munch through the original on April 20, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
Kendall/Hunt. pp. 3, 27, 37. ISBN .
National Public Show. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
"Clifton's cafeteria: Honourableness place where L.A. finds itself". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Hawthorn 19, 2009.
Retrieved Sept 22, 2010.
"Clifton's Cafeteria reveals original facade, untold for 50 years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
Retrieved October 9, 2015.
"Nostalgia psychoanalysis served up at reopened Clifton's cafeteria". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
Retrieved October 26, 2020.
"Downtown's Quiet Clifton's Situation Plans Big New Bar Expansion: Kevin Lee, formerly of dignity Wolves, is on as Superintendent of Spirits". Eater LA.
ISBN . Retrieved May 19, 2009.
"The cafeteria: an L.A. original". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
Retrieved Might 19, 2009.
Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on Feb 25, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
The Food Museum Online. Archived from the initial on August 23, 2009. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
Los Angeles Times Magazine. p. 2. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
Clifton's LA. Archived from the original on July 2, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
Stackpole Books. p. 80. ISBN . Retrieved May 20, 2009.
pp. 191–192. ISBN . Retrieved May 19, 2009.
cafeteria to close convey remodel". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
February 9, 2022.
Long Beach Press-Telegram. Jan 28, 2001. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
"Final Induce for Historic Restaurant; With greatness closing today of the setting in West Covina, only honourableness downtown venue will remain indicate eight Clifton's Cafeterias". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
August 19, 1965. Archived from the another on January 31, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
"Clifton's Serves Last Course be in the region of Memorabilia". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
Los Angeles Times. Archived foreign the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
Los Angeles Downtown News. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
Visiting with Huell Howser. Seasoned 8. Episode 32. PBS. KCET.
(Alternate link @ Chapman University)"LA's top 10 cult locations". The Guardian. London. p. 2. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
Random House, Inc. pp. 78–82. ISBN . Retrieved May 20, 2009.
A Few Trade event Women. Trafford Publishing. p. 183. ISBN . Retrieved May 20, 2009.
p. 21. ISBN . Retrieved May 20, 2009.
31
(2003). Signs president Designs: Art and Architecture burst the Work of Michel Butor. Liverpool University Press. ISBN .
The City Observed, Los Angeles: A Guide to Tog up Architecture and Landscapes. Random Home. pp. 7, 33, 55. ISBN . Retrieved May 19, 2009.