The Blue Front

One of the oldest and longest continously operating restaurants in Dallas, The Blue Front was located in a narrow blue-painted brick building at 1105 Elm Street. William G. "Papa" Schliepake was a German immigrant who started the place in 1877. He died in 1956, but his son Willie carried on as owner and chef. The family continued to run the restaurant until at least 1975, when it seems to have relocated to one of the underground venues on a revamped Elm St. There are no current listings for either the cafe or the Schliepake family in the current tax records.

Paul Crume, who wrote the "Big D" column for the Dallas Morning News for 24 years, had this to say about The Blue Front in 1960:
        They have said of Willie Schliepake that he is the only bull with his own china shop. Willie is chef at the incomparable Blue Front restaurant, and he is not inclined to look with charity on any variation in the quality of the polish sausages or he customers.
        The Blue Front, of course, is on lower Elm Street. A customer came in during the week from the upper part of town and complained about the trouble he had in parking.
        "Willie, why don't you have a parking lot?" he asked.
        Willie greeted the suggestion with a scornful humph.
        "If we had a parking lot," he said, "we wouldn't need a restaurant." 

Reader Al was kind enough to send a photo of this anniversary fob.