looking for memories of the Pickwick Cafe in Montgomery

[Jim from Virginia]

I'm looking for people who knew of or frequented the famous Pickwick Cafe in downtown Montgomery. Please forward your responses to this thread. I'm compiling the information for a book on old Montgomery. Thanks for your help.

[hendricks alford]

Jim: I am 9l and was reared in Montgomery. The Pickwick was acknowledged as the best local restaurant, a bit expensive for many of our families in the depression period. The street was wide and traffic was light. While in high school (1932 through 1935)and for several years later, when we could get transportation, we would take our dates for excellent and reasonably priced milkshakes (I think a dime apiece). Park (or double park in front, place order with a Pickwick car hop who affixed the shakes to the driver's window, and spend perhaps 45 minutes for sixty cents, plus a dime tip, for six kids in the car. Hendricks

[furman]

I dined many times at the Pickwick as a child with my mother (Lucy Hudson Smith) and aunt (Anita Hudson) while their husbands served in “The War”, which always meant World War II in our family. Since the war ended in 1945 and I was born 7-Dec-1941 I must have been around four years old. I suspect that our visits were on a schedule, such as every Tuesday. and obtaining the meat hidden inside.

I recall often sitting next to a plate glass window. The place was always packed and waiters would skillfully weave in and out of diners while holding large trays of food balanced on their finger tips.
The tables had white tablecloths and perhaps the waiters had uniforms.

The meal would be lunch and I would always choose a bowl of seafood jumbo. I would anticipate, as a four year old might anticipate, the large crab claw that would have the meat hidden within.

One time there was no crab claw. I cried. Mom called the waiter over and asked that a crab claw be added. There was none to add. I don't really remember the rest but I imagine that the manager knew that we are regular customers and, even though there was a war going on, he would do his best to set aside a crab claw for me for each time we came in.

The owner's son was Frank Ridolphi and I knew his granddaughter Jean Ridolphi -- we graduated together from Lanier High School. Mr Ridolphi, Jean's father, was a fine magician was well as restauranteur.

Dad told me that The Pickwick was on Commerce Street. There is a small restaurant in that approximate location now but the pictures of an old restaurant on the walls show a much smaller room than what I can accept as the same as what I remember.

I don't have any memories of The Pickwick past those early years. I look forward to your book.

[Miller Goodson-Wallace]

Yes. Pickwick was my great-grandfather's restaurant.

[CParker]

Have you found out much of anything. I am married to one of the Ridolphi girls from Memphis whose father, Fred, is the grandson of the Pickwick Ridolphis. His name is Fred Ridolphi and is an attorney in Memphis.