George Doumar with the celebrated cone-making machine, Summer 1979. Today you can see
Albert or Thad--
same spot, on 20th & Monticello, making cones. Do SOMETHING!
We urged a dear friend to take a job at Doumar's, alá Gloria Steinhem and the Playboy Club--
remember Gloria's exposé on Hef? Anyway-- this "deep scooping" friend
("Deep Scoop") revealed to us the following
DOUMAR’S SECRETS:
• Doumar's NEVER had roller-skates. The lot isn't flat enough and the
insurance rates are SKY HIGH for that kinda’ deal.
• The coolest/longest running cog in the machine is Miss Arlene. She is the
very-bad-take-no-prisoners kitchen lady for nearly fifty years, since she was sixteen.
• The no refills on the coffee policy is to keep the customer turn-over rate high; no
lingering gives everybody a shot at a seat.
• Thad is fluent in German, a big Ayn Rand fan/Objectivist and has the house
on Stockley Gardens with the most front steps. He gave up a promising future in
Economics (predictable since he began helping out there at the age of nine).
• There is talk, although unofficially, of opening a future Doumar's at the
oceanfront facing the beach, with retro-themed hoopla and with this one: a good flat lot,
carhops in cutesy, skimpy outfits and SKATES. Randy is for expansion, Thad
is skeptical and ever-worried about the financial investments needed for it, and Albert
when asked a few years back, expressed enthusiasm for the skimpy outfits. But you probably
wouldn't want to print that and break Betty Grace's heart.
[We hear ya’ Deep Scoop but we're certain as long as they’ve been
together, she’s hep!].
Deep Scoop's Lingo Guide
(and stuff that doesn't appear on the menu at all)
• The Reggie is probably the most well-known, a chocolate milkshake with crushed
cone chips, named after a girl named Regina who used to work there, who made the
darn things for herself and it caught on.
• A Kingston Flat is a Banana and Strawberry shortcake; dunno where the name comes
from.
• A June Bride is a strawberry sundae made with chocolate ice-cream.
• The Scope Sundae is another little-known treat that was dreamed up for the opening
of the Scope arena downtown, adhering to the color scheme in Scope advertising: a large
hot fudge sundae with one scoop each of orange & lime sherbets & one scoop
vanilla.
• As far as kooky stuff from the kitchen goes the Bingo is a double-meat hotdog,
named after some local boy politician who's nickname was Bingo.
[Deep Scoop means "Bingo" F. T. Stant folks. Forgive her--
she’s young].
• The Saltbox or infamous Doumar's grilled cheese, was dubbed Saltbox because
in the beginning, an actual saltbox was used to squash the sandwich on the grill. The
Saltbox with Ham is the biggest rip-off on the menu. Last I checked, a plain was $1.50,
one with ham is $2.30, so you pay .80 for a single slice of lunchmeat!
MORE DOUMAR’S SECRETS:
• Hilda (a longstanding curb girl known by all regulars)
was hit by a car on the lot.
• The place was painted ‘Doumar Orange’
because of a study that came out in the 60's saying that red and orange make people
hungry. The interior used to be blue.
• Albert's brother Vic (partner before his passing in the mid
80’s) was the ultimate playboy and that has all the makings of scandalous
tabloid stuff
[Guess that’s why we liked him so much, Deep Scoop!]
but an interesting tidbit is this: his "ghost" has been reported to wander the
crazy place from time to time. That’s not useful but I’m on a roll.
• Speaking of rolls: Doumar's sells whole rolls of Taylor Ham (most folks
don’t know that) AND they will sell their cool soda glasses, too. But they won’t
sell the trays, due to years of people driving off with them.
• A cool inside joke: Thad always said that he will name his first child,
regardless of gender, "Eggo", ERGO: his firstborn will be the living incarnation
of the "Egg-O-Doumar" sandwich. Also, the Egg-O-Doumar was conceived/named after
the Egg McMuffin because Albert hoped to cash in on the craze.
• I asked once if Doumar's served the "colored folk" back when doing
so was deemed unhip, and learned it was illegal to serve blacks inside the dining area or
on the curb. It was common practice to serve blacks at the take-out counter, even though
taboo. How cool is this? They would say to any objecting bigot and/or policeman that the
"Negro" in question was picking up an order for their "white boss"
whom they knew. Of course, there is no way to verify it.
• The reason the bathrooms were put outside: folks who ate on the curb were usually
the ones to do the most alcohol consumption (before DUI laws, obviously) and it
wasn’t uncommon for them to throw up in the restrooms and make a freakin' mess. I
don't know exactly when they stopped serving beer on the curb, but it used to be all the
rage.
• There once was a jukebox and little dance floor inside; also a DeeJay on the roof!
• There also used to be a flaming sundae for the Fourth of July, with a sugar cube
soaked in liquor where the cherry would be: they'd light it up before the curb girl took
it out on the lot but it was a big worry (catching girls on fire or the wind blowing
‘em out).
• YES, people ARE expected to tip curb girls (some folks are pretty dense) and YES
even when they drive up and order TO GO because these girls still bust it to get them
their food, and ESPECIALLY when storming: you'd be surprised how often people bring
‘em out in a hurricane and don't bother tipping because it's "to ride".
• Also when raining, they wave (likely) the same people over to the side awning for a
darn good reason: not only can they stay dry, but the food stays dry too! People who
refuse to pull over shouldn't whine about cold wet fries and demolished sundaes.
[Whoa Scoop-- ya’ don’t say?].
• Of course the bbq is cooked fresh on the premises and ground there, but so is the
beef for the burgers. That's not as well known. The tuna salad is home made, too. And
all-the-way means mustard, onions, relish, nothing else. Deluxe is lettuce, tomato,
mayonnaise. The Western is a sandwich not on the menu, ham and egg with cheese and fried
onions. It's good.
• They have a program with Norfolk Public Schools where they will hire,
"at-risk youth" to come in and help with maintenance/janitorial on weekends and
evenings.
• The cone machines didn’t always have propane tanks, once they actually were
coal-burning or maybe wood-burning, but YES those are the actual original cone machines.
They have two, one that stays and one that travels.
• Abe Doumar invented the cone though there are others who also lay claim,
it’s been researched by the Smithsonian and the U.S. Postal Service did
have an unveiling of the ice-cream cone stamp at Doumar's when they released the
series for the World's Fair in St. Louis.
Well R K, I've exhausted my great knowledge of Doumar’s: the
real machine, but if anything needs more detail... Lemme know. Love you tons and
tons.
oxoxoxoxoxoxoxo "Deep Scoop/Gloria"
[Scoop's concealed, so why we feeling like Lucianne Goldberg here?]
In memory of four great Hampton Roads
Ambassadors
Mayor Vincent Thomas, Walter P. Chrysler,
Mrs. Douglas MacArthur and Vic Doumar
All historic photos graciously provided by Albert Doumar
Mayor Vincent Thomas, Walter P. Chrysler, Mrs. Douglas MacArthur and Vic Doumar
(Albert’s brother) at NYC's Parklane Hotel presenting cones from the famous
machine, on a good will tour for the City of Norfolk.
The Doumar family have always valued the community and the
community loves them back for it! One never knows who one will see there at any given time
of day or evening there. The kids you grew up with are often seen parked under the
canopies with their own kids in tow. It is impossible to feel "down" whether
being served in your car or inside at the counter or a booth. How can you explain the good
feelings? Thousands of visits and we’ve never seen anything remotely resembling an
altercation in this busy, bustling place. Years back we wondered, how can these
Doumar people keep so many people happy for so many years? Thanks to 'Deep Scoop' now we
know!
See Tour X for Ocean View's own
"Mardi Gras"--
St. Patrick's Day Parade Retrospective!
About the Nickel Tour
rk@rkpuma.com
