Sholl's Colonial Cafeteria, was a 20th-century

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

cafeteria-style restaurant A cafeteria, called canteen outside the U.S., is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether in a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school ...

that was famous for its popularity among tourists and government workers. The restaurant served everyone from

United States presidents The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the officeholder leads the executive branc ...

to the homeless. It closed its doors on December 1, 2001, due to rent increases combined with a sudden drop in local tourism that year based on fear of terrorism.

Location

At its height, the restaurant had become a chain with eight locations, but for its last decade the restaurant's only location was at 1990 K Street N.W., with its entrance on 20th Street N.W. Often, charter buses would be outside, picking up or letting off groups of high school students from around the country.

History

The first location opened in 1928 by Evan A. Sholl. Sholl was an entrepreneur from rural

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whose businesses included farms, a dairy, an ice cream factory, and real estate. Opening his chain of cafeterias helped the growing numbers of government workers in the late 1920s and 1930s who were short on time and lunch options. George and Van Fleishell were the last owners and managers of Sholl's. George Fleishell was Evan Sholl's nephew through Evan's wife Gertrude and grew up working for Sholl's as a child. Returning from his service in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, George worked for Sholl's until the day it closed. At its height, Sholl's served 10 people a minute, 2 million a year. At one point there were 8 locations in Washington, D.C., Arlington, and

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. The final location at 1990 K Street NW closed its doors on December 1, 2001. The number of tourists to the city had fallen off after the recent terrorist attacks, and there was a public campaign to implore the landlord of that location to forego his intended rent increase.

Racial integration

From at least the 1940s and throughout the period of the fight for

racial integration Racial integration, or simply integration, includes desegregation (the process of ending systematic racial segregation), leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of Race (classification of human beings), race, and t ...

, Sholl's took a stand against

racial segregation Racial segregation is the separation of people into race (human classification), racial or other Ethnicity, ethnic groups in daily life. Segregation can involve the spatial separation of the races, and mandatory use of different institutions, ...

and served

African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...

. Sholl's employees included

immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short- ...

from

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Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

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, and

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. One cook was Marina Naranjo. Sholl extended family members also worked there.

Religion

At Sholl's, any member of the clergy, regardless of his or her religion, was served a free meal. Featured at every table were prayer cards that suggested grace—

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, or

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

—before meals. A colorful framed certificate from the Pope hung on the wall.

Charity work

Sholl's took part in programs to feed the homeless. Michael Kirwin, a D.C. advocate for the homeless, wrote in ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' of the generosity of Sholl's management. Years before, Kirwin had given $5,000 to feed homeless patrons. "Somehow that $5,000 check never seemed to run out," Kirwan recalled. "The stories I've heard from people on the streets, their quiet moments of dignity, respect, warmth and a full and nourishing meal at the hands of this wonderful cafeteria could fill a book of essays."

References

External links

"Sholl's Last Supper: A Truly Civic-minded Business Closes Its Doors," John H. Fund, The Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2001"Sholl's Cafeteria Closes Doors: Eatery Looks For New Location, Kate Stepan and Drew Wiseman, GW Hatchet, December 10, 2001
Defunct restaurants in Washington, D.C. Cafeteria-style restaurants Defunct restaurant chains in the United States Restaurants established in 1928 American companies established in 1928 1928 establishments in Washington, D.C. 2001 disestablishments in Washington, D.C. {{Restaurants in Washington, D.C.