Decades of memories are about become available to buyers as a landmark Silver Spring, Maryland, restaurant sells off a treasure trove of collectibles and unique dishware.
Crisfield Seafood shut down operations in December after nearly 80 years in business as a source of hearty seafood dishes and community connections.
Jamie Landis, a grandson of the family that operated the restaurant since 1945 told WTOP that he and his brother decided it was time to close the business. “My brother and I are both in our 60s and we just felt like this, this was the time to get out.”
Once Landis family announced the closure, he said the restaurant was suddenly packed again, as it had been in the 70s and 80s when, in Landis’ words, “We used to line them up around the bar” and out the door. “It was just heartwarming and overwhelming,” he said.
Landis said people came in to express how Crisfield Seafood was a place linked to family memories and special occasions. “We’ve had so many stories like that; people that came here on their first dates, and people that came here, you know, to celebrate some special occasion, stuff like that.”
Landis added that the restaurant had always valued its place in the community. “When you’re working here every single day and you’re just trying to get through, you don’t realize those stories. You know, you just don’t, you don’t have any idea. And then when people come back and tell you about it. You think, well, at least that did something for somebody,” Landis said.
This weekend, the Landis family is holding an estate-style sale, where people can come in and buy some of the unique dishware and memorabilia that decorates the walls.
Some things, however, won’t be for sale. The interior of the restaurant was ringed with photographs given to the restaurant by customers who shared family photos, or photos of staff on the job.
“We’re doing our best to get those pictures back to the to the people that should get them. We’re not, we’re not going to sell them. We have a guy that contacted us, and his grandfather is what was one of the barmen behind the bar, and had his picture back there. And so we’re getting that picture back to him,” Landis said.
Some of the most unique items include the antique dishes designed for serving oysters, with concave segments for resting the shellfish and a depression in the center for condiments: a lemon or a sauce, according to Landis.
The oyster plates were collected by branches of the Landis family, and Landis said his grandmother had an eye for the special ones among them. His recalled how she and a friend would go out and antique every Monday.
“What I’m most proud of is the fact that there we, we could, you know, we maintained and continued my grandmother’s vision. You know, she wanted the best, freshest seafood that she could possibly do and that, and that’s what I feel like we did. But what I’ll miss the most is, yeah, the everyday hustle bustle of the business,” Landis said.
As for future plans, Landis said, “Tell you what it’s been. It’s been a chore the last few weeks trying to get this place shut down and stuff like that. So so I’m looking forward to having a couple days off, but I got some ideas about a few projects.” But for now, he’ll enjoy some down time.
The sale begins Saturday morning at 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. It will start up again at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
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