The Woman’s Industrial Kitchen, which was part of the venerable 130-year-old Woman’s Industrial Exchange building on North Charles Street, has officially closed.
The original restaurant—know as the Women’s Industrial Exchange—was a place where patrons flocked for a home-cooked meal of chilled sockeye salmon and chicken salad with aspic and deviled eggs.
In addition to a homey meal, the Exchange also offered war widows a dedicated space to showcasing their handcrafted wares and make extra money at a time when women were not in the work force. (To date, there’s still a shop with handmade clothing and eco-friendly art.)
After the Industrial Exchange closed in 2002, several outside operators attempted to breathe new life into the space with fresh food concepts, but all of them ultimately failed.
In the Fall of 2011, Souper Freak food truck owner Irene Smith tried to restore the restaurant with a nostalgic menu that harked back to the original fare.
Sadly, that too, came to an end this week. There’s no word yet on future plans for the space.