21 august 1968 & ben's chili bowl prepares for 10th anniversary on 22 august

#OTD 21 August 1968 Virginia Ali and Ben Ali were one day away from the 10th anniversary of the opening of their restaurant, Ben's Chili Bowl (1213 U Street). Ben's Chili Bowl originally opened on 22 August 1958 in a former pool hall. A $5,000 investment enabled them to open the restaurant.

Both Virginia Ali and Ben Ali worked in the restaurant. And they relied on employees to help them serve their customers. They were constantly looking for "neat" and "experienced" "counter girl(s)" for day and night shifts. The above advertisement appeared in the white-owned Washington Post on 5 August 1968.

Your comments are welcome below. Do you, family members or neighbors remember Virginia Ali and Ben Ali in 1968? Do you remember Ben's Chili Bowl in 1968?  Was there a 10th anniversary celebration? Do you remember any of the counter girls? Do you have photographs from 1968? A menu? You may comment privately here.

Photo source: Courtesy Ben's Chili Bowl, 1958. Photographer unknown.
For an illustrated timeline of Ben's history, click here.
Tracey Gold Bennett, Ben's Chili Bowl: 50 Years of a Washington, DC Landmark 2008.
Classified ad. Washington Post 5 August 1968.