Cafeteria Style
[John R. Thompson Company Commissary Building (1912) Alfred S. Alschuler, architect /Image & Artwork:
designslinger]
Before there were McDonalds, Burger Kings, Kentucky Fried Chickens, Applebees and
Olive Gardens, there were lunchroom and cafeteria chains that served freshly prepared "fast food" in cities across the country in the buffet/commissary style. When John R. Thompson of Thompson Restaurants built this building in 1912, Thompson's was one of the largest lunchroom commissary chains in the country.
[Thompson Building (1983 renovation) Metz, Train & Youngren, architects /Image & Artwork: designslinger]
Thompson opened his first restaurant in the 1890s in the city he had recently moved to
called Chicago. By 1912 there were 68 Thompson restaurants in Chicago, New York and other large metro areas as well as a chain of grocery stores. The food was inexpensive, basic and consisted primarily of hot and cold meats, sandwiches and side dishes. The operation was known for their "table seat" chairs that were kind of like the school desk/chairs you may have sat in in high school or college where the chair arm does double-duty as a desktop. Ring a bell? By the time Thompson died in 1927 he'd created quite a little dining empire. The company had 113 restaurants in 45 cities and he left an estate valued at over $6,000,000. The Ray Kroc of his era.
[Commissary Building/350 N. Clark Street, Chicago /Image & Artwork: designslinger]
I remember the building being called the Commissary Building and in doing research for
this post I found out why. When the Thompson was constructed it not only housed the company's corporate offices but also one of the organization's large commissary restaurants on the ground floor. By the time I became acquainted with architect Alfred Alschuler's white terra-cotta clad building in the late 70s, there was no commissary and the place looked a little worse for wear. In 1983 the architectural firm of Metz, Train & Youngren was brought in to oversee a restoration and rehab of the 70-year-old structure.
The chain encountered unwanted publicity in the early 50s when their Washington, D.C.
location became the focus of the restaurant's discriminatory service practices. Mary Church Terrell was refused service because she was black and her case wound its way all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court which found that the racially motivated act was unconstitutional.
It wasn't the first time the Thompson named was mired in controversy. In 1921 John R.
placed an ad in national newspapers stating, "I will pay $1,000. to anyone who will give one good reason why the revolver manufacturing industry should be allowed to exist in America and enjoy the facilities of the mails. Sincerely, John R. Thompson" It didn't seem to have any impact on his business. He never paid the thousand bucks and it still says Thompson at the top of the tower.
Posted by designslinger at 8/9/2010 1:53 AM 
Categories: Architecture, History, Preservation
Tags: Alfred S. Alschuler John R. Thompson Building John R. Thompson Company Commissary Building Metz Train and Youngren
Categories: Architecture, History, Preservation
Tags: Alfred S. Alschuler John R. Thompson Building John R. Thompson Company Commissary Building Metz Train and Youngren
Every building has a story doesn't it? You've got me thinking about the structures I pass by everyday. Perhaps I should do "a little research," too; I'm sure I'd be surprised by what I could learn.
The hunt for the stories, combined with the great architecture, is what keeps us going. Plus the fact that there are people out there like you who enjoy our finds!