History of the Cafe Republique 1910-1913

H-DC History of the Cafe Republique 1910-1913

Discussion published by John DeFerrari on Friday, July 9, 2021

From theStreets of Washington blog. Full article with illustrations is at: http://www.streetsofwashington.com/2021/06/the-short-exuberant-life-of-washingtons.html

June 29, 2021

THE SHORT, EXUBERANT LIFE OF WASHINGTON'S CAFÉ RÉPUBLIQUE

The restaurant business is famously risky, and perhaps the greatest risks are taken by those who invest in elaborate new eateries without a sound plan for making them profitable. Such is the cautionary tale of the posh Café République, an extravagant enterprise that flourished for just a few years in downtown Washington in the 1910s, serving as a quintessential expression of the fragile exuberance of its times.

Citation: John DeFerrari. History of the Cafe Republique 1910-1913. H-DC. 07-09-2021. https://networks.h-net.org/node/28441/discussions/7883577/history-cafe-republique-1910-1913 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 1 H-DC

The main dining room of the Cafe Republique. In September 1911, a certain Maggie Mae sent this postcard to her friend Agnes Collins in Auburn, New York. She wrote: "Your pal Magie is---having one fine time. Just had luncheon at this cafe. Some class-Washington. Gee Agnes its a case of When Dreams Come True." (Author's collection.)

In April 1910, a group of local investors organized as the Columbia Cafe Company to open the Café République in remodeled space at the northwest corner of the Corcoran Office Building, located at 15th and F Streets NW, across the street from the Treasury Department. After a whirlwind construction effort, the new eatery was ready to open its doors in late September.

Read the full story of the cafe at: http://www.streetsofwashington.com/2021/06/the-short-exuberant-life-of-washingtons.html

John DeFerrari