About us
The Arch Café LLC is a brand-new café and restaurant proudly located at the base of the Gateway Arch. The 1,600 square-foot space can seat 28 people in the Café and an additional 96 in the common area. The Arch Café & Restaurant offers farm-to-table food as well as vegetarian and gluten-free items.
Arch Café LLC’s parent company, Evelyn Hill Inc. operates the concessions at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and at Fort McHenry National Monument.
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Evelyn Hill, Inc. has a very distinguished history providing visitor services at Liberty Island. In 2018 the company celebrated 87 years of dedicated service making it the oldest family-owned business that has been the exclusive concessionaire at the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
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First Generation
Evelyn Hill Inc.’s history with the Statue of Liberty began with Aaron G. Hill who had served as an U.S. Army Medic. He was stationed at Fort Wood, the fort surrounding Lady Liberty. Aaron and his wife Evelyn were living on the island and they had two children, Charlotte and James. James was actually born on Liberty Island.
In 1931, the U.S. Army discontinued selling souvenirs to the public at the Statue of Liberty, so Aaron Hill saw the opportunity for a new business. He opened a souvenir stand! He named his new venture after his beloved wife, Evelyn. In 1943, at the age of 46, Aaron Hill passed away, leaving his wife, Evelyn Hill, to continue the family business.
Evelyn was a brilliant businesswoman, light years ahead of her time and spoke fluently nine languages. As a Polish immigrant, she understood the importance of satisfying the visitor. One of her favorite things to do was to work the front sales counter and interact with the visitors, which she continued to enjoy until her death in 1990, at the age of 88.
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Second Generation
James I. Hill followed in Evelyn’s footsteps, and incorporated the business in her name in 1949. In addition to the Statue of Liberty, James began providing visitor services at Fort McHenry, Sagamore Hill, Freedomland, an amusement park in the Bronx, and on the Sandy Hook Ferry Boat Service.
James’ passion for the Statue of Liberty is world-renowned. His famous saying, “Take care of the visitors, and they will take care of you”, has been the company’s philosophy, and the reason for its continued success through the decades.
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Third Generation
James retired in 1996, after 46 years at the helm, to pass the leadership of Evelyn Hill Inc. onto his son, Bradford A. Hill. Brad has since maintained the same leadership style that his father and grandmother employed.
Brad has increased the company’s focus on its environmental impact, providing healthy dining options to visitors, and utilizing locally sourced and organic foods in its cafes.
In 2010, Evelyn Hill Inc. opened the Liberty Gift Pavilion, a LEED Platinum Certified building, the 5th in New York City! Evelyn Hill Inc. became the leader in National Park Service recycling methods, recycling over 97% of the solid waste produced by its operations. Brad Hill has been a guest speaker at many Parks to talk about his accomplishments. He is also a member of multiple National Park associations, sharing his experience with others and winning numerous awards.
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