Businesses in Washington
Reeves Bakery
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| Reeves Menu Page, 1970's |
1209 F Street, NW, established by Sewell A. Reeves.
That address was long associated with grocers. From 1877 to 1894, George Kennedy maintained a grocery store there. By 1895, Kennedy had relocated his store and Nathan A. Poole took over the premises for his grocery store. The next year, Sewell A. Reeves and John Poole were operating the grocery as the Poole and Reeves Company. On December 10 of that year, Sewell married Zoe E. Poole, no doubt related to Nathan or John Poole.
Poole and Reeves remained in business until 1898 when Reeves became the sole owner and redirected his business interests to include chocolate dipped candy and bakery products. Eventually, Reeve’s dropped the “grocery” business altogether and operated only the candy store and bakery. Later, a lunch counter was added.
Sewell Reeves died December 4, 1941, at age 75. The bakery business was left to his son Algernon Poole Reeves. When Algernon died in 1962, his son John W. Reeves took over the bakery. In January 1966, John sold the business to the Four Boys Corporation, headed by George and Edward Abraham. The Reeves family retained ownership of the building. At the time the business was sold, many of the Reeves employees had worked there for years, some for more than 40 years, and Four Boys agreed to keep them employed. Four Boys eventually sold the business to Joseph Glorioso. Both Four Boys and Glorioso operated under the Reeves name.
The bakery-lunch counter continued operations at the F street address until 1988, when the Reeves heirs sold the building and land. But the bakery reopened in 1992, just about a block away at 1306 G Street, NW. Reeves remained there until June 8, 2007, when they were forced to close permanently since the landlord refused to renew the lease.
Reeves was known for their bakery products, especially their strawberry pies. Their famous chicken salad sandwich was served on their freshly baked thick-sliced baked bread. At Christmas, they offered glazed nuts for sale, a special treat.
While the old Reeves literature states the bakery began operations in 1886, the obituaries for Sewell and Algernon Reeves gave 1891 as the date of opening. However, the DC directories show 1896 as the first year of operation under the Reeves name.
Business Photographs
| Thumbnail | Description | Contributed | Source |
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Baum's Popular Shopping Place "Popular Merchandise at Popular Prices, We Sell All Books Published at Cut Rates"; dry goods, cloaks, millinery, men's furnishings, and bookseller, 416 7th NW |
Dec 2011 | Susan Salus |
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Frankle & Co "The Fair, 7th & H St NW, Housefurnishings" |
Dec 2011 | Susan Salus |
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Reeves Bakery, 1209 F Street, NW | Jan 2012 | Susan Salus |
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Thompsons Furniture Store, 9th & 10th & Penn Ave, Washington DC. Frank Thompson is the man in front on the left, the small guy I think may be Arthur King, his nephew who lived with them and worked at the store. The fellow in the chair may be Frank's son Fank and the fellow standing to the right is his father Thomas Thompson, a gold watch maker from London. |
Feb 2012 | Jeanne |