The Last Royal Castle Still Going Strong
We thought we'd steer you toward some reading material this morning about the only remaining Royal Castle. The article in the Herald is part of its series on 27th Avenue (aka Unity Boulevard), which cuts through a number of very diverse neighborhoods.
William Singer got the idea for Royal Castle in Columbus, Ohio. The only restaurant that stayed afloat there during the Depression, he would say, sold small hamburgers for pennies. It was a quaint chain called White Castle.It's now owned by the manager who was hired in 1964 after the Civil Rights Act, when Singer needed to bring in some black faces behind the counter. It's a great story, one we never knew was behind this hamburger joint.Bankrupt and desperate to be an entrepreneur, Singer tinkered with the name and took the idea to Miami in 1938.
By 1958, Royal Castle had grown to 58 stores in South Florida. They thrived in working-class, mostly white areas, where families bought the greasy patties layered in onions, pickles and mustard by the dozen.
Under Lawrence Singer, William's son, the chain blossomed to at least 185 throughout Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. All had strict rules. No more than 10 stools at the counter. No women behind the counter. No blacks sitting in front of it.
The last Royal Castle continues to thrive [Miami Herald]
Photo: Flickr
