Bickford’s seemed like the McDonald’s of its day. It was a national cafeteria chain, mostly in the northeast, and Baltimore had several locations downtown. The company dates back to 1921 and, like a memory, faded remnants come into view when you least expect it. This signage reappeared within recent years downtown on Howard Street when signage from some more recent establishments was removed. Sadly, despite some visible developments to the west, there are not many new stores opening on Howard Street these days, so the sign might still be visible for a while after this article is posted.
A more popular and more influential branch of Bickford’s existed further east on Calvert Street near City Hall and the Courthouse, where political and business leaders frequently met. However, the Bickford’s pictured here catered to the crowds of shoppers that used to frequent the popular department stores and other retail shops that once existed near Howard and Lexington Streets.
Meanwhile, Baltimore had its own local chain of similar eateries, named Oriole Cafeterias, but that’s another story.