Sally Bell's Kitchen celebrates 100 years in Richmond
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Sally Bell's Kitchen is celebrating 100 years in business this month. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios
Talk about an anniversary! Sally Bell's Kitchen, the beloved maker of Richmond's favorite boxed lunches, is celebrating 100 years in business this year.
Why it matters: The restaurant business can be brutal and most don't make it past the first few years, so reaching a centennial is worth celebrating.
The big picture: Female pals Sarah "Sallie" Cabell Jones and Elizabeth Lee Milton opened Sarah Lee's Kitchen at 701 W. Grace St., which is now VCU student housing, Richmond Mag's Eileen Melon reports.
- That was 1924, four years after women had won the right to vote.
- Their initial goal was to sell from scratch condiments to local grocers, but five years later, after Milton moved to NYC, "Sallie" introduced a takeout counter and from scratch food.
- The boxed lunches — served in a white box and jam-packed with a sandwich, deviled egg, side and icing-covered cupcake resting on black and white paper — quickly became a hit.
Since then, little has changed at Sally Bell's. In 1951, they moved across the street to 708 W. Grace St, and in 1959, they changed the name (with a little monetary incentive from a national pie company called Sara Lee's). In 2016, moved to their current home at 2337 W. Broad St.
- Oh yeah, and in 2015, at 91 years young, the restaurant was honored by The James Beard Foundation with its "America's Classic" award.
But the business is still family owned and operated, today by "Sallie's" great-nephew and his wife.
- And they're open every weekday from 10am to 2pm and ready to serve up their famous boxed lunches. Just as they have for the last 100 years.
Go deeper with Richmond Mag's fantastic full history of the restaurant