Ted's Bulletin: Read all about it

This salvaged ticket window hangs behind the bar at the forthcoming Ted's Bulletin. (Julia Beizer/The Washington Post)

Capitol Hill dwellers soon will have an all-American early morning spot to get their grub on. The team behind Matchbox is gearing up to open Ted's Bulletin (505 Eighth St. SE) in the spring.

Housed in the former District Lock and Hardware storefront and just a few doors away from Matchbox, the eatery will open at 7 a.m. each day for breakfast, with a lunch and dinner menu of classics including meatloaf, country-fried steak, pork chops and appropriate sides. "We want to be not only multi-location, but multi-concept," says Drew Kim, one of the four business partners behind Matchbox and the new operation.

The vibe at Ted's Bulletin will be different from Matchbox's: Recycled light fixtures and materials from the 1928 Philadelphia Convention Center, picked up at a salvage shop in Baltimore, were used to furnish the pine-floored, 75-seat dining room (almost all booths) and the back bar. A small bar in the front room will serve classic cocktails, and a "shaketender" will spin regular and alcoholic milkshakes. Pastry chef Erica Chirunomula will be on display, baking muffins, scones, pies, cakes and cookies that customers can order from a walk-up front window. In the evenings, the owners plan to screen black-and-white movies on one of the walls.

The name is a tip of the hat to the late father of co-owners Mark and Ty Neal. Their dad, Ted, was known for being hospitable, says Kim; at home, he always offered soup to postal workers and visitors. The target launch date is April 1, barring construction or permit delays. "We'll open when it's ready," Kim says.

Also on the horizon: Matchbox, Rockville. That Rockville Pike location is scheduled to open this summer.

-- Julia Beizer