During our journey around the country checking out first class places to stay we never stopped to eat. It's time to check out some high and low class food joints.
Now, don't get your hopes up because I can't guarantee they're all still in business, let alone still standing.
First stop Long Champ Dining Salon (also Longchamp) in Amarillo, Texas. I'm guessing this card was picked up by my grandparents in 1949 when my folks drove them across country from Pennsylvania to San Diego along Route 66.
Click on image to see it larger.
So was it Longchamp as shown on the sign or Long Champ as on the back of this Curt Teich card? I have no idea. How could advertising screw up from the front to the back of a postcard?
Homer Rice didn't just change the name of the place, he changed the whole feeling of the place with advertising in a completely different direction. You can see a few Rice Dining Salon postcards here, here, and here. Doesn't feel as classy, does it? How about an old matchbook or Yellow Pages ad from 1965? I'm sure if I continued digging I'd find more, but I'm not really that interested in what the place became; I'm interested in how it started. Unfortunately, I'm not finding that information.
I did however find a recipe for Rice's Dining Salon Turkey Dressing. Go figure.
As to what sits on the spot once occupied by Long Champ? It's not pretty. According to this web site it's now a "parking lot between Taco Villa & Pinkie's Liquor."
I give you the former site of Longchamp, or whatever it was called, according to Google maps.
The only other thing I'll bring up about this is that Longchamp/Long Champ was recommended by Duncan Hines. I did a post last year which included how important the Duncan Hines guide was when traveling across country which you can read here.
looked like a lovely place. how sad to see it gone.
ReplyDeleteHomer Rice was a great man, and his food was second to none.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear from a satisfied customer.
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