Little Ritz Cafe

The Little Ritz Cafe was owned and operated by members of the Zaleski family from the 1920s through at least 1959. The 1926–1927 Camden City Directory shows Leon Zaleski operating a cafe at 1127 Mount Ephraim Avenue, the northwest corner of Mount Ephraim Avenue and Sycamore Street. Bert Bottura, who later operated bars at 600 South 3rd Street and 720 South 5th Street, also operated this bar at one time. Leon Zaleski apparently moved his business across the street late in 1927, as the 1928 City Directory indicates Louis Zaleski was now at 1122 Mount Ephraim Avenue.

The 1931, 1940, and 1943 Directories have Leon Zaleski as the proprietor, while the 1947 City Directory and the 1956 and 1959 Bell Jersey Bell Telephone Directories list Stanley Zaleski and the Little Ritz Cafe at that address.

The bar does not show up in the 1966 or 1970 telephone books, but from 1977 through 1980 the bar did appear, under the name of Mr. D’s Society Lounge. The 1981 directory shows a Clarence Shields as operating the bar. After that there are no listings for a bar at 1122 Mount Ephraim Avenue.