[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 17, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONGRATULATING BEN'S CHILI BOWL ON ITS 55TH ANNIVERSARY

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 17, 2013

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in congratulating Ben's Chili Bowl on its 
55th anniversary of service to the residents of the District of 
Columbia and its thousands of visitors, who have carried its reputation 
far and wide.
  Ben's was founded in 1958 by newlyweds Ben and Virginia Ali, who 
converted an old pool hall on U Street into today's Ben's Chili Bowl, a 
virtual DC institution. The Ali's made Ben's into a prominent family 
business that their sons Kamal and Nizam later joined. Ben's has 
expanded from its signature U Street location to Ben's Next Door, 
Nationals Park, and FedEx Field, and will soon open locations on H 
Street NE and in Arlington, Virginia. From the beginning, Ben's Chili 
Bowl was frequented by the neighborhood, then the city, and soon 
celebrities, entertainers, actors, and political figures as they 
visited DC's historic U Street, also known as ``Black Broadway.'' After 
the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the riots 
that soon followed, Ben's Chili Bowl was given special police 
permission to remain open to provide food and shelter for all who were 
trying to restore peace in the city.
  The popular restaurant saw a surge in customers during the 1970s but 
also big-city problems. In 1987, the expansion of DC's Metro rail to 
the U Street corridor made U Street a construction site, drastically 
reducing customer traffic and threatening Ben's survival. But Ben's 
survived while many U Street businesses died. Five years later, when 
the Green Line was completed, Ben's Chili Bowl returned to full 
business. Its core strength, which ensured the loyalty of its 
customers, had taken Ben's through civil disturbances that destroyed 
the old U Street and construction that took much of what was left.
  Today, Ben's Chili Bowl flourishes as a DC destination that tourists 
visit the way they tour the official historic sites. Its regulars 
include celebrities like Bill Cosby and Dick Gregory, politicians like 
President Obama, and visitors from throughout the world. Ben's famous 
half-smokes continue to tantalize the tastes of regulars and newcomers 
alike.
  Ben's Chili Bowl has given the District of Columbia its own fun 
cuisine beginning with its half-smokes. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in celebrating the 55th anniversary of Ben's 
Chili Bowl and in wishing the Ali family continued success.

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