Tasty Sandwich Shop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tasty Sandwich Shop |
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The Tasty, 1985. Behind the counter is chef Don Valcovic; on the right is Al Nidle, publisher of Street magazine at the time
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1916 |
| Closed | 1997 |
| Street address | 2a JFK Street |
| City | Cambridge |
| State | Massachusetts |
The Tasty Sandwich Shop, often just called "The Tasty", was a popular restaurant. It was open from 1916 to 1997 in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
It was located in the Read Block building, which was once the home of a famous old poet named Anne Bradstreet. The Tasty served customers for 81 years before it closed in 1997. After it closed, other stores like Abercrombie & Fitch, Citizens Bank, and later a CVS Pharmacy used the same spot.
What Was The Tasty Like?
The Tasty was a very small diner, like a tiny one-room restaurant. The customer area was only about seven feet wide and thirty feet deep. It had a narrow counter made of yellow linoleum.
Someone from Harvard Business School once said it was "the most profitable restaurant in New England per sq ft." This means it made a lot of money for its small size, which was only about 210 square feet.
The Tasty had 14 stools for customers. On busy nights, it could get very crowded, with around 70 people packed inside! During these busy nights, especially between midnight and 4:00 AM, they would serve 300 to 400 burgers.
A large map covered the back wall of the diner. It was covered with pins that showed where postcards from customers all over the world had come from. The cooks, like Tom Sweet and Charlie Coney, were friendly and often chatted with the customers, making it a very welcoming place.
Who Visited The Tasty?
The Tasty was popular with many different people. It attracted both long-time residents of Cambridge and many students from Harvard University. This was because it was very close to Harvard Yard and stayed open late.
It was one of the few places where students and local residents, from different backgrounds, could meet and talk easily. One historian said, "you could sit next to a professor on your left, and a homeless person on your right." This shows how it brought all kinds of people together.
Why Did The Tasty Close?
Even though the owner, Peter Haddad, tried to keep it open, The Tasty closed in November 1997. A sign in its window as they were moving out shared its long history: "81 years. 29,565 days. 5,913,000 people. 422,357 per stool."
The building's owner, Cambridge Savings Bank, wanted to rent the space to bigger chain stores. These stores could pay much higher rents and offered more financial security. Many groups and people were against The Tasty closing. This included the Harvard Square Defense Fund and the radio hosts Tom and Ray Magliozzi, known as 'Click and Clack' from their show Car Talk. The closing of The Tasty became a big deal and a symbol of how the neighborhood was changing.
People who supported The Tasty showed how important it was to the community and its history. Even though they didn't win the fight to keep it open, the Cambridge City Council made sure that the special entrance to The Tasty was saved. It was given landmark status, meaning it's protected, and it still looks the same today.
For a while, an Abercrombie & Fitch store was in the building where The Tasty used to be. Then, a Citizens Bank branch took its place. The exact spot where The Tasty's counter was became a row of Citizens Bank ATMs. If you look closely at the bank building today, you can still see the extra door that used to be The Tasty's entrance. After Citizens Bank moved, a CVS Pharmacy opened in that spot.
Many people saw The Tasty's closure as a result of the neighborhood becoming more expensive and attracting bigger businesses. The Tasty's small size, low prices, and friendly atmosphere attracted everyone. This was very different from the more expensive stores and restaurants that were starting to appear in Harvard Square.
In 2012, a local hamburger chain called Tasty Burger opened nearby. Its design and logo are meant to remind people of the original Tasty Sandwich Shop.
