Russell George's Derby cafe --- in the late 1940s

I came across this photograph, identified as "Russell George in his cafe," in a scrapbook of Derby images in the Lucas County Historical Society collection, donated by the late Virginia Mart.

The best known Derby Cafe was operated from 1958 until 2000 by Gusta Flack, but of course there had been others.

This photograph probably was taken during the late 1940s with Russell (1906-1973) behind the counter, customers unidentified. It appears, based on the view from the front window, to have been a summer day. And signage at the top of the window suggests the cafe building once had been home to First National Bank.

I couldn't find any indication of when the cafe opened, but according to newspaper reports, Russell sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Conner during the late summer of 1949 and it was known thereafter as the Conner Cafe.

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