Volunteer Doug came across this menu (X2013.010.0018) for the Quelle Cafe today in a bunch of unprocessed ma
terials. I wish the scan did the original pumpkin orange color a bit more justice. All we know about the menu is a sticky note found on it that may or may not be related that reads 1917. The restaurant does not appear in the 1917 City Directory. The Quelle (meaning “source” according to their menu) operated at 440 State Street in Salem. Specials included pork or veal chops, hamburgers, veal cutlet, pork and beans, Italian spaghetti, Chicken ala King, homemade chili, cream waffles with rasher of bacon or ham, and hot tamales. You could enjoy any of these items for under 35 cents a dish. Although if you wanted booth service, it would cost you 10 cents extra.
This is not the style of something that would produced in 1917. The illustration is dated 1939.
Good Catch Ann! I didn’t look all that closely, but you can see the artist’s mark in the lower left hand corner of the illustration: “’39 Betty Craney.” And lo and behold, The Quelle shows up in the 1939 City directory under the management of Frank Chatas (resides 462 State Street) and cooks Franklin H. Chatas (resides with wife Eva C.at 1045 Shipping) and Gust. Chatas (residing 440 State Street). They way the Chatas are entered it looks like three individuals, although it is possible the residence claim on Frank Chatas is a mistake and that he and Franklin are one and the same.
Betty Craney is listed as a student at Willamette University in the 1938-1939 City Directory.
Frank Chatas was my great uncle