EVELYN HILL, INC

What EVELYN HILL, INC does

Evelyn Hill Inc. is a privately held, family-owned hospitality and retail concessionaire that has operated food service and gift stores inside U.S. National Park Service monuments since 1931. The company is the exclusive authorized concessionaire at the Statue of Liberty National Monument (Liberty Island) and Ellis Island National Monument, where it runs the Crown Café, Ellis Café, and their associated gift stores, and it also operates gift stores and dining at Fort McHenry (Baltimore) and the Gateway Arch (St. Louis). Physical operations are anchored by the LEED Platinum certified Liberty Gift Pavilion, which incorporates geothermal heating/cooling, LED lighting, rainwater collection, waterless urinals, and 43% recycled building content — sustainability features that double as both cost-of-operations hedges and brand differentiation.

The company's product surface spans three revenue streams: (1) restaurant operations (Crown Café on Liberty Island, Ellis Café on Ellis Island, plus seasonal outdoor stands, Bartholdi Café, and a Dessert Bar), with menu pricing in the $5–$16 unit range; (2) retail, including Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island souvenirs, apparel, collectibles, books, specialty items such as the Family Name History & Coat of Arms Certificate, and the America's 250th Anniversary collection; and (3) special events and group services, including corporate/private events at the Registry Room on Ellis Island and pre-paid lunch vouchers for groups of 20+. E-commerce supplements the brick-and-mortar footprint for merchandise, with a stated ~2-week delivery window and no international shipping. Distribution relies on tourist foot traffic delivered via the CityExperiences/Statue City Cruises ferry partnership; there is no consumer-facing app and no disclosed AI/ML capability.

Evelyn Hill generates revenue on a per-transaction basis (food and retail purchases) plus event and catering fees. Pricing carries NYS 8.875% sales tax, and customer segments are primarily domestic and international tourists, organized tour groups, and corporate/private event clients. The customer base is highly fragmented at the individual level (millions of walk-in visitors annually), but enterprise revenue is materially tied to visitor volumes at two New York harbor islands. Headcount is 83 employees, and leadership remains under third-generation family control under President Bradford A. Hill; no external investment, M&A, or public-market exposure has been disclosed.

Name

EVELYN HILL, INC

Legal name

Evelyn Hill Inc.

Website

https://thestatueofliberty.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Evelyn Hill Inc. is a family-owned hospitality and retail concessionaire, founded in 1931, that exclusively operates food service and gift stores at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Fort McHenry, and Gateway Arch for the U.S. National Park Service. It serves millions of tourists annually and also hosts corporate events and group dining.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Concessionaire Hospitality Services

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Amusement and Theme Parks (71311)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Park Concession Operations (Food, Retail, Fuel, General Stores) (THAAAGAA)

Keywords

• National park concessions
• Tourist food service
• Souvenir retail
• Monument hospitality
• Special event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

New York, New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Food Service Operations: Operating Crown Café on Liberty Island and Ellis Café on Ellis Island, serving a variety of menu items including burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizza, and beverages. Also includes seasonal outdoor stands and Bartholdi Café, Dessert Bar, and Grab n' Go locations. Revenue generated from in-person food and beverage sales to visitors.
2. Retail Gift Store Operations: Operating gift stores at Liberty Island and Ellis Island selling Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island souvenirs, books, apparel, collectibles, and specialty items like the Family Name History & Coat of Arms Certificate. Revenue from in-person and e-commerce merchandise sales.
3. Special Events Hosting: Hosting corporate events, private dining, and special occasions at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island venues including the Registry Room at Ellis Island. Revenue from event bookings and catering services managed through ellisisland-events.com.
4. Group Dining Vouchers: Pre-order lunch vouchers for groups of 20 or more visitors. Provides catering convenience for tour groups with bundled meal packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Evelyn Hill Inc. operates full-service restaurants (Crown Café on Liberty Island and Ellis Café on Ellis Island), on-site and online gift stores selling Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island souvenirs, books, and apparel, group dining voucher programs for tour groups, and special-event hosting/catering at monument venues including the Ellis Island Registry Room. The company is the exclusive authorized concessionaire for the National Park Service at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and also runs concession services at Fort McHenry (Baltimore) and the Gateway Arch (St. Louis).

Product overview

Evelyn Hill Inc. is a family-owned hospitality company operating as the exclusive concessionaire for the National Park Service at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island since 1931. The company operates two restaurant locations (Crown Café on Liberty Island and Ellis Café on Ellis Island) and two gift stores, offering a range of dining and retail products including commemorative merchandise, historical books, and the America's 250th Anniversary collection. Services include group dining options, special events hosting, and online shopping. The company also manages food service operations at Fort McHenry and the Gateway Arch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Greensponsible: Environmental sustainability program focused on conservation, recycling, composting, and green operations at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Products and services

• Crown Café (Liberty Island restaurant) Full-service restaurant on Liberty Island offering grill favorites, chicken, seafood, paninis, cold entrées, snacks, desserts, and locally roasted coffee by Brooklyn Roasting Company. Open 8:40 am – 6:00 pm with 40 seats inside and 300 seats outside, designed for Statue of Liberty visitors.
• Ellis Café (Ellis Island restaurant) Restaurant at Ellis Island located inside the National Immigration Museum building, serving grill favorites, chicken, pizza, seafood, paninis, salads, snacks, desserts, and refreshments. Open 8:40 am – 6:15 pm with 90 seats inside and 200 seats outside, designed for Ellis Island visitors.
• Statue of Liberty Gift Store (Liberty Island) Main gift store on Liberty Island offering New York souvenirs, Statue of Liberty merchandise, and USA-made gifts. Housed in a LEED Platinum Certified building (opened 2010) featuring geothermal heating and cooling, LED lighting, and rainwater collection. Operated online and on-site.
• Ellis Gift Shop (Ellis Island) Gift shop on Ellis Island offering souvenirs, books about immigration history, and Ellis Island-specific merchandise located inside the National Immigration Museum building. Sold online and on-site.
• America's 250th Anniversary Collection (product line) Commemorative merchandise product line celebrating America's 250th Anniversary, including T-shirts, tote bags, and tumblers featuring the Statue of Liberty.
• The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook Cookbook containing authentic food recipes shared by immigrants who came through Ellis Island; sold via the online shop and in gift stores.
• Family Name History & Coat of Arms Certificate Specialty retail certificate with family name history and coat of arms drawn from the Historical Research Center Database, sold online and in-store.
• Group Dining Options (Group Vouchers) Pre-order lunch voucher packages for groups of 20 or more, with customizable meals available upon request. Each voucher includes 1 entrée, french fries, and a beverage. Sold via email/phone contact with Bookkeeper/Office Manager Ada Wong.
• Special Events (Ellis Island / Statue of Liberty venues) Corporate event hosting and catering services at Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island venues, including the Registry Room at Ellis Island. Includes private dining, weddings, and special occasions booked through ellisisland-events.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of solid waste composted and recycled in 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvelyn Hill Inc. is the exclusive authorized concessionaire for the National Park Service at the Statue of Liberty National Monument on Liberty Island and Ellis Island National Monument. This exclusive partnership has been maintained since 1931 and is the company's foundational business relationship. The company also holds concessionaire agreements for Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (Baltimore) and Gateway Arch National Park (St. Louis).
• CityExperiences (Statue City Cruises)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCityExperiences operates Statue City Cruises providing ferry transportation to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. They serve as the primary ticket sales channel for visitors, directing tourists to the company's dining and retail services on the islands.
• Brooklyn Roasting CompanyminorOthersLocal coffee supplier providing freshly roasted coffee for Ellis Café. All coffee-based drinks are locally roasted and gluten-free.
• Pat LaFriedaminorOthersAmerica's most celebrated butcher supplying 100% Black Angus beef blend of short rib, brisket and chuck for Ellis Café grill items. Pasture raised and grazed with no hormones and no antibiotics.
• NuchasminorOthersSupplier of Argentine Beef, Chipotle Chicken, and Italian Sausage empanadas at Crown Café on Liberty Island.
• CHI (Cultural Horizons Inc.)minorOthersJ-1 visa sponsoring agency for international student work-travel program. One of four approved agencies the company works with to employ international students during spring and summer peak seasons.
• INTRAXminorOthersJ-1 visa sponsoring agency for international student work-travel program. One of four approved agencies the company works with to employ international students during spring and summer peak seasons.
• GEOVISIONminorOthersJ-1 visa sponsoring agency for international student work-travel program. One of four approved agencies the company works with to employ international students during spring and summer peak seasons.
• GREENHEART (CCIGreenheart)minorOthersJ-1 visa sponsoring agency for international student work-travel program. One of four approved agencies the company works with to employ international students during spring and summer peak seasons.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Park Concessions, Inc. Smaller NPS concessionaire operating at multiple national park sites. Comparable as a multi-site NPS food and retail concessionaire, though smaller in scale and iconic-brand recognition than Evelyn Hill.
• Guest Services, Inc. Operates food service, retail, and lodging at U.S. National Park Service and other public landmarks, including Mount Vernon and several NPS sites. Comparable as a heritage-tourism concessionaire with multi-site operations and event hosting.
• Xanterra Travel Collection: Largest NPS concessioner in the U.S., operating lodging, food service, and retail at parks including the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Yellowstone. Directly comparable as a multi-site NPS concessionaire with similar food/retail/event revenue mix.
• Forever Resorts: Operates lodging, food service, retail, and marinas at U.S. National Park Service sites (Lake Mead, Flamingo, etc.). Compares directly to Evelyn Hill as an NPS concessionaire running multi-site food, retail, and recreation services.
• Delaware North: Operates food, beverage, and retail concessions at numerous U.S. National Park Service sites (including Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and Kennedy Space Center). The most direct comparable to Evelyn Hill as an NPS-specialized concessionaire managing multi-site parks and visitor services.

Broad incumbents

• Patina Restaurant Group: Operates upscale restaurants and food service at cultural venues, museums, and tourist destinations (including in NYC). Comparable as an event-hosting, high-traffic-venue restaurant operator, though not an NPS concessionaire.
• Aramark: Global food service, facilities, and uniform services giant that operates concessions at several U.S. national parks and major tourist destinations. Comparable as a large-scale concession operator with NPS relationships, but operates across many industries beyond Evelyn Hill's NPS-only focus.
• HMSHost: Major travel hospitality and food service concessionaire operating at airports, highway rest areas, and tourist destinations. Comparable in operating contract-based food service at high-traffic tourist venues, though focuses more on travel hubs than national monuments.
• Centerplate: Hospitality and catering provider at stadiums, convention centers, and major venues. Comparable as a professional-services event catering operation serving high-traffic public venues, though diversified across sports/entertainment rather than national monuments.

Regional players

• City Experiences (Hornblower Group): Operates Statue City Cruises ferry service to Liberty and Ellis Islands — Evelyn Hill's documented channel partner that controls visitor access to the company's sites. Directly comparable and commercially linked; loss or change of this partnership would materially affect foot traffic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evelyn-hill-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EVELYN HILL, INC