Buckingham’s Chicken Dinners may no longer be in business, but the house still sits along Manchester Road. Did anyone eat there back in the day?
Photo courtesy of Lura Holt.
A Blog detailing the beauty of St. Louis architecture and the buildup of residue-or character-that accumulates over the course of time.
I can’t add anything to this, but the place was renowned for its chicken. An uncle took my Grandmother there at least once a month back in the ’40s and ’50s.
Two other famous “chicken places” of pre and post WWII were Madame Defoe’s waaay out on Manchester Road (OK – in Manchester, I think) and the Green Parrot Inn on old Big bend in Kirkwood, between New Big Bend and Ballas. The latter building is still there, but has been converted into a home. I don’t know if Madame Defoe’s is still around, since I never knew exactly where it was – I was just barely a teen when it closed – I think it went back to a few years before WWI.
Tom,
Was over seven years late viewing your post, but as I recall Madame Defoe’s was on Baxter Rd. about a mile North of Clayton. That was off the beaten path, but when I was a kid there was a billboard near the intersection of Clayton and Baxter advertising the place.
I have to wonder now if Buckingham’s and Green Parrot Inn were somehow related. This postcard was with my grandfather’s photos, so I suppose he went there. I don’t remember going to Buckingham’s, but he took us to the Green Parrot Inn a lot. The owner was a good friend of his. An unrelated, but small world story. My husband raffled off one of his handmade guitars for a cause. (Holt Musical Instruments, shameless plug) The winner of the raffle guitar runs his business out of the Buckingham building.
I purchased a tackle box at an auction today and in it was a matchbook from this restaurant had no idea it was that old.
Hi — my parents apparently went to Buckingham’s restaurant on Manchester for their ‘wedding breakfast’ in 1948. Do you know the whereabouts of the house (street address)?
Insert 38.612829,-90.352569 on Google or Bing maps.
The building is now occupied by Hensley Construction, 8949 Manchester.
I’m remembering it to be on the northwest corner of Brentwood Blvd and Manchester Road. In the city of Brentwood.
It was one of our family traditions to go to Buckingham’s. It would always be a special occasion. I am an octogenarian now. Then, I was pre-teen. So, those dinners at Buckingham’s remain a special memory for me. Sorry, it is no longer operating. Happy that I can sit at my Ipad and share this with you.
We lived in Warson Woods in the ’50s and ’60s. I remember my family getting takeout checken dinners from Buckingham’s.
While going through my parents’ home after their passing, I found an autographed menu given to them on their wedding day! Looking at 1954 prices was amazing! I wish I could post the picture of the menu! What a great meal you could get!!
Thank you for sharing, Lois! If you are willing, you can e-mail a JPG of it to me. My e-mail address is at the bottom of the page.
I was 8 years old when we moved to St. Louis from California. My dad grew up here, and at that time, his parents owned Buckinghams. They bought it from Mrs. Buckingham who joined us at many family events until she passed. I have great memories of Buckinghams. They had amazingly good fried chicken but as a little kid (with 4 younger sisters), our favorites were the honey butter and pistachio ice cream. And the dumbwaiter!!! I can’t believe I came across this site and that photo!!
We ate there a few times, but for the most part got the chicken to go, along with their rum rolls in the 60’s. All the food was great, and it was an interesting restaurant with seating throughout the home, making it feel as though you were actually visiting friends at their house who made a special dinner for you.