Before It Was A Frozen Food Giant, Stouffer's Was A Restaurant Empire - Tasting Table

"Stouffer restaurants sprung up across the country, both in major cities like New York and Detroit, and in the quickly-expanding, automobile-loving suburbs. Whether it was a casual night out on the town, or a 50th wedding anniversary, Stouffer's knew how to set the vibe. It offered curated culinary ambiances that catered to a wide range of demographics, including luxury, destination dining locations, like Boston's rotating, sky-high "Top of the Hub.""

"Back in 1922, dairy farmer Abraham Stouffer and his wife, Lena Mahala, opened a storefront in Cleveland, Ohio's Arcade, a glitzy, Victorian-era retail palace that served as the first indoor shopping center in the United States. The Stouffer's shop served a modest fare, with sandwiches, dutch apple pie, and fresh buttermilk, which came with complimentary crackers. Riding high on their successes, the couple opened a stand-alone restaurant called Stouffer Lunch two years later,"

Abraham Stouffer and his wife Lena Mahala opened a storefront in Cleveland's Arcade in 1922, selling sandwiches, dutch apple pie, and fresh buttermilk with complimentary crackers. The couple opened Stouffer Lunch in 1924, serving Lena Mahala's recipes, and their sons Gordon and Vernon later expanded the business nationally. Stouffer restaurants operated in major cities and growing suburbs, offering varied ambiances from casual dining to luxury destinations like Boston's rotating, sky-high "Top of the Hub." The company also expanded into hotels. By the 1950s, the rise of TV dinners and changing household work patterns pushed Stouffer into frozen-food production, later becoming synonymous with boxed lasagna, mac and cheese, and frozen side dishes.

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