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Finding Aid for the Clifton's Cafeteria collection of Circulars, 1931-1995
1827
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Title: Clifton's Cafeteria collection of Circulars
Date (inclusive): 1931-1995
Collection number: 1827
Creator:
Clifton's Cafeteria
Extent:
7 boxes (3.5 lin. ft)
Abstract: Clifton's Cafeteria was opened in downtown Los Angeles in 1931 by Clifford E. Clinton, who also opened several other branches
of his restaurant in later years. Clinton was also active in local politics and an advocate for civil reform. His restaurant
published circulars, beginning in 1931, containing inspirational thoughts, poetry, short prose pieces and a calendar of upcoming
events for customers, first weekly and then monthly. It ceased publication in 1995.
Language: Finding aid is written in
English.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of
the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC
Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Donald and Robert Clinton, 2008.
[Identification of item], Clifton's Cafeteria collection of Circulars (Collection Number 1827). Department of Special Collections,
Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.
Clifton's Cafeteria was opened at its first location in Los Angeles in 1931 by Clifford E. Clinton (b. Aug. 1900; d. Nov.
1969), a member of the Clinton family of restauranteurs (now spanning many generations). Clinton moved the cafeteria to Broadway
in 1935 and, though a few more satellite cafeterias were opened in later years, the Broadway location has remained in business
ever since that time. Nearly from the outset, Clinton began distributing these sheets of inspirational thoughts, poetry, short
prose pieces and a calendar of upcoming Los Angeles events for his customers. After a slightly irregular start, the circulars
began to be issued weekly in 1932; that frequency was retained for nearly 40 years, changing to monthly only in May of 1971,
just a few years after Clinton's death. The final issue came out in October, 1995, with a note from its editor, Esther York
Burkholder: "Over the years it has been a privilege and a pleasure to share with you bits of wisdom and beauty and humor from
the pens of many writers. ... Until, and if, we eventually resume publication, dear readers, you have our best wishes always".
Throughout the run, the circulars were printed on just one sheet, usually folded in half (lengthwise) to make 4 pages. Up
until 1967, the cafeteria's motto ("A tra-ful for a tri-ful") always appeared somewhere near the title; from 1967-1995 the
motto changed ("Food for the soul is important too"), and began appearing regularly below the title.
The circulars contain quotes, facts about Los Angeles, announcements for events, meetings and recitals, useful telephone numbers,
and observations and sayings for the benefit of Clifton's Cafeteria customers. It began in 1931 and ceased publication in
1995.
Arranged chronologically by year:
- Box 1: 1931 (The Bulletin board; Clifton's Bulletin board; Restaurant Alliance Bulletin board)
- 1932-33 (The Clifton tray)
- 1934 (The Clifton tray; The Clifton tray-- Food 4 thot; The Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot)
- 1935-39 (The Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot)
- 1940 (The Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot; Food 4 thot)
- 1941 (Food 4 thot; Clifton's Food for thot) -- Boxes 2-7: 1942-1995 (Clifton's Food for thot).
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Restaurants --California --Los Angeles --Archival resources.
Soup kitchens --California --Los Angeles --Archival resources.
Other Index Terms Related to this Collection
Clinton, Clifford E., 1900-1969.
Clifton's Food for thot.
Food 4 thot.
Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot.
Clifton tray.
Clifton's Bulletin board.
Clifford E. Clinton papers (Collection 2018).
Available at the Department of Special Collections, UCLA Library.
Meals for Millions Foundation records (Collection 1107).
Available at the Department of Special Collections, UCLA Library.