Nostalgic for a piece of The Original Crisfield Seafood Restaurant or a collector of vintage homeware? Head this weekend to the shuttered downtown Silver Spring eatery, where fans can purchase oyster plates, beer steins and other mementos when it opens its doors again for an estate sale.
Crisfield, which closed Dec. 22 after nearly 80 years in business, announced the estate sale last Friday in a social media post. The sale featuring memorabilia, collectibles and small wares will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the restaurant at 8012 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring.
The sale, which was first reported by the Source of the Spring, comes nearly one month after the restaurant’s owners, the Landis family, decided it was time to close the longstanding Montgomery County establishment.
James Landis, a managing partner at the restaurant, told Bethesda Today in late December that he and his brother had been primarily running the business. Now in their 60s, they felt it was time for a break.
“The next generation wasn’t necessarily interested in being in the restaurant business anymore and we understand that it’s not an easy business. So we just decided it was time now,” Landis said.
In the days between the closure announcement on Dec. 11 and the restaurant’s final day of service on Dec. 22, hundreds of patrons from around the county, state and even from across state lines came to visit the iconic dining spot.
“It’s beautiful to see how many people are here to help us [close shop], give us business again, and show us how much they love it,” former Crisfield employee Mars Moreno said, looking out at a line of customers two days before the closure. “I’m hearing people coming from all over the place, from West Virginia, from the Carolinas. It’s insane.”
During this weekend’s sale, according to the social media post, there will be a few rules:
- Items will be sold to the highest bidder;
- There will be no holds on items; and
- Items will be offered first come, first serve.
Commenters on the social media post expressed excitement about the sale, some saying they hoped to snag a cookbook from the restaurant, while others yearned for another taste of Crisfield food.
One commenter requested the restaurant return the photos of celebrities, local notable people and others that hung on its wall to those individuals who were pictured or their family members.
“Those images served as unpaid endorsements given willingly by some very notable people. They are a testament to what Crisfield’s has meant to the DMV community, and what those individuals have meant to us as well,” the commentor wrote.
The restaurant did not respond on social media to comments and concerns from individuals about retrieving photos of themselves or their loved ones.
