Seller Story: Clyde's Restaurant, Tysons Corner, VA
“I’ve spent my whole career building fun places to eat. We always say Clyde’s restaurants are like dining saloons: bars with great dining rooms. Though the food isn’t an afterthought for us! It’s very good, and has been kind of revolutionary, especially in the 80s. We were doing farm-to-table in 1984, sourcing from local farms in the summer, and we’ve been changing our menus daily since then, too.
I started out as a chef—I knew the owners and founders, Stuart Davidson and John Laytham, and they enjoyed some food of mine they’d eaten at Nantucket in 1982. They asked me to come down and show the chefs how to prepare certain dishes. I loved the city of Washington so much I’ve been here ever since. We had three restaurants then, and now we have 14 in what I call the DMV area—D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
When you have a company that’s been around for as long as we have—since the early 60s—you collect a lot of amazing pieces. There are just so many beautiful smaller things in the sale: like a miniature race car and a handmade airplane model that we bought that we didn’t have space for.
Our spaces are unique, and so is our clientele. Being in Washington, we’ve always had politicians in and out. George Bush Sr. came in fairly often. It doesn’t matter your politics; it’s always thrilling to meet the president." -Tom Meyer, President of Clyde’s
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Waterford Crystal Millennium Collection Champagne Bucket Featuring Five Wishes
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Stained Glass Window Panel With Floral Motif
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Douglas “Bumo” Johnpeer Landscape Oil Painting, 2024
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Offset Lithograph After Claude Monet "Le Bassin des Nympheas"
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Oil Painting of a Forest Stream, Circa 1900
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Coach Mini Crosby Crossbody Carryall In Silver/Blue Black Badlands Flora
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Pair of Faux Leather, Brass-Tacked and Ebonized Wood Club Chairs
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Derek Jeter Signed Rawlings Official Major League Baseball with Display
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hollywood Regency Style Brass and Blue Velveteen Upholstered Stools
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Fulper Pottery Earthenware Amphora Vessel With Drip Glaze, Early 20th C.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Charriol Colvmbvs Diamond Wristwatch
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Atmospheric Skyscape Oil Painting
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
6'11 x 11'1 Hand-Knotted Persian Kashan Area Rug
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Mark Whitmarsh Abstract Acrylic Painting "Divine Garden," 2019
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hickory Mfg. Co. French Provincial Style Oak Two-Drawer Bombé Low Chest
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K 3.88 CTW Lab Grown Diamond Eternity Band
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
7'11 x 11'3 Machine Made Oriental Weavers "Nirvana Collection" Area Rug
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Vintage and Antique Glass Beaded Flapper Sautoir Necklaces
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Luc LeBon Abstract Expressionistic Style Acrylic Painting "Boundary Waters #1"
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Tricia Bass Oil Painting of Dog "Bella's Daisies"
What was the collecting philosophy behind these pieces?
One of the greatest things I’ve ever done was go on antiques scouting with John and Stuart. They were real patrons of the arts; they have great taste, and they were willing to spend money to get the good stuff. They bought beautiful art wherever they could find it, but also, a lot of the art and the woodwork is stuff they commissioned. They had a real vision.
What other D.C. heavy hitters have come by Clyde’s restaurants?
I remember when Bill Clinton first became president. It was before they built a track at the White House, so he would just run around D.C. in the mornings, followed by the Secret Service, generally pretty early, around 8:00 am. And one morning I’m working at Old Ebbitt Grill and Bill Clinton runs in! It was pretty funny—he was wearing shorts and bad running shoes. He wanted a glass of orange juice. He very graciously walked up one aisle, shook everyone’s hand, walked up the other aisle, shook their hands, and then he was out the door again.
What’s the story behind the Mucha prints?
Stuart acquired those, I believe. They’re strike prints, almost museum quality, of these art nouveau images from one of the top guys working at the time. It’s a Four Seasons set—they’re so incredible. Such a rare, special set of pieces. Very iconic!