History Lost Drive-In Restaurants

hey, farmergal, you know any other car hops that are still around?? I'm from agawam ma (six flags) and would love to find one!

 

Check out this link. Hung out there 40 + years ago, still hanging out there today.

http://videos.bismarcktribune.com/p/video?id=1860329

 

if you're ever in the area of Mendon, Mass (CT border but in the northeast corner) there is George's Surf and Turf Drive-In. It's a good trip back in time and they have delicious food.

There is also Chelle's 50's car-hop in Stafford, CT. It's not vintage but its very much nostaglia and the food is excellent...especially if your looking for breakfast on a sunday morning.

Other places in Mass (i do not believe they are still around) are:

Art Johnsons. It was famous for the hot rod races that would occur out in front at the street lights. The hot rodders of the area loved that drive-in for that very reason. It was known for retaining its 50's nostalgic feel and was located in Norwood, Mass. It closed in the 70's and was THE PLACE if you were a hotrodder

Jolly Cholly's: Which was located on Route 1 (same route as The Adventure) but in Attleboro, Mass. It had special parking for the "nice" cars back in the day and was known as the place to go on a Saturday night. They also had amusements.

The Adventure Car-Hop located in Saugus off Route 1 was probably the most famous in Mass. Anyone in the area growing up in the late 50's, early sixties could probably remember listening to Woo Woo Ginsberg WMEX AM Radio there. Arnie Ginsberg could be heard there from 7pm until 10pm from '58 to '65. The Adventure was also known for its signature "jingle" on the airwaves!

Rocky Point: wasn't a drive in but an Amusement Park. It has now long been abandoned with many of the buildings destroyed. it was located in Warwick, Rhode Island and was opened in the 1800's. It closed in 1995 and retained a lot of its retro/vintage charm.

Lincoln Park: located in Dartmouth, Mass was open year round for dancing, skating, bowling

Ratteys: Was located in North Attleboro, Mass. It was also located on Route 1; right up the road from Jolly Chollys.


Eddies Diner: Located on route 1 in Walpole Mass. If you went after midnight you had to be prepared to wait in long lines. Famous for the cruising route along route 1 that included Eddies, Red Wing Resturaunt, Art Johnson's and Norwood Arena

Del's Lemonade: Known as a major icon in Rhode Island. Got its name in 1948 and was the only product sold at a small stand in Cranston, RI.

Earl's: was in Rochester NH and was a famous drive in in '57.

Martin's: is what Earl's eventually became and its still there!

 

There was also the Montrose Drive In in Wakefield, Mass which was torn down in 2007 for a dunkin donuts. It can be seen here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/larry_dinerhotline/2842996486/

 

hmmm stafford isn't too far and a pretty nice backroad drive from agawam. looks like they a cruise night every wednesday too. might have to check it out this summer with the roadster!

 

there was also Jilly's Drive-in in Holland Mass. not sure if its still there.

Mattapoisett, Mass had the Woodie Drive-in.

The Texan Car-Hop was also located on Route 1 in Saugus just north of the Kiddie Ranch

I believe there is a Fitzy's Car Hop on Park Avenue in Worcester, Mass.

also, the Flying Saucer Car Hop was in Worcester, Mass


Speedy's was also in Worcester, Mass. i believe they have car hop reunions in celebration every year.

 

This was Speedy's

 

My memories of drive-ins from the Dearborn, Mi. area were the Sip N' Nip on Telegraph, Jim and Larry's on Warren (I think), A and W on Telegraph in Taylor, Skippers on Ecorse in Taylor, and the Lincoln Park Drive In with the pizza slingers in the front window.

 

The White Hut in West Springfield is famous. It is in West Springfield, Mass (not far from you at all) and it is vintage and has been in business since 1939. The food is cheap but i hear its good.

http://www.whitehut.com/

 

Any old photos or info on drive in restaurants in Oklahoma or Texas?

 

yep, not far at all. great greasy burgers with onions on em. not really a car hop though, and I hate the parking lot in that place.

 

View attachment johnsons.bmp

This was Art Johnson's in Norwood, Mass. Famous for the hot rodding and street racing that occured out front

 

Jolly Cholly's

View attachment jollycholly.bmp

 

yea. there really isn't any car hops around. you're more likely to focus on the drive-in resturaunt or vintage/retro eatery in this area. if you ever head down to Colchester, C T area..be sure to stop in at Harry's Place. Been there over 90 years and it is the kind of burgers in the country...hands down

 

Jolly Cholly's in Mass is currently a vacant fenced in lot. Sign's are still there.

http://www.streetlegaltv.com/news/gone-but-not-forgotten-jolly-chollys-the-hot-spot-to-cruise/

This is what Lincoln Park now looks like:

http://hauntednorthamerica.webs.com/lincoln park 1.jpg

http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/display/ac5a24b3-8131-4a8d-b314-ec8c11ff777b.jpg

http://www.nileguide.com/blog/files/2010/05/lincoln-new-3.jpg

and this is what Rattey's in North attleboro on route 1 currently looks like:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14529376@N00/3806227333/

 

You guys have got it good out there, I would love to see soebody in my town open up a retro drive in with a old style neon sign out front. why not its all about retro these days.

 

65PanelRat, thanks, but you need to delete that and post it over on the drivie-in THEATER threads. There are several on the theme.

THIS thread is about Drive-In RESTAURANTS.

 

My hometown of Attleboro, MA had an A&W stand which was booming back in the 50s -60s. Its long gone and a Dunkin Donuts stands their now. From the pics I've seen, It was the place to be on a friday night. My future lottery winnings will surely put a vintage car hop back on the map!

 

I realize Sonic Drive-in is not lost, but it is the greatest drive-in and it is still going strong.

<table><tbody><tr><td id="fb_title" valign="top">SONIC Drive-In</td> <td id="fb_sponsoredbybox">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Year Opened:1953
First Location: Shawnee, OK
Bite of History: After a stint as a milkman, Troy Smith opened a small root beer stand named Top Hat Drive-In. The little stand was very profitable, and Smith decided to expand the offerings and install a carhop system, where drivers received individual service without having to leave their car. The concept proved successful and in 1956, Smith partnered with Charles Pappe to open a second location in nearby Woodward. Unfortunately, in 1959 Smith was forced to change the name due to trademark issues. Top Hat was renamed SONIC Drive-In, as its motto was "service at the speed of sound." Today, the franchise is one of the few drive-ins to offer the carhop system, and some even showcase roller-skating servers!

 

Dallas business man Jesse G. Kirby, and his financial backer Dr. Reuben W. Jackson invented the entire concept in 1921 with the opening of their first Pig Stand on Chalk Hill Road near the Dallas Fort Worth Turnpike. It wasn&#8217;t really much to see, just a board-and-batten stand at the back of a corner lot.

This little stand was destined to change the U.S. food business, and some people claim that The Pig Stand virtually invented the entire fast food business. Up until that time there were other quick dining establishments including that other unique American invention the diner. What made the Pig Stand different were their new &#8220;curb service,&#8221; and the all male &#8220;car hops.&#8221;

Curb service was exactly what it sounds like, the car parked at the curb (because there was no off street parking lot) and your food was delivered hot and fresh to the curb. The term car hop was coined because the servers would literally hop on the running board of the moving car before it came to a stop. In the beginning they only worked for tips, so competition for customers was fierce. All of the car hops wore white caps, white shirt, and bow ties. This is a far cry from the sometimes surly drive-through window order takers of today.

Sadly, the Pig Stands legacy came to an abrupt end on November 15, 2006 in a dispute with the state of Texas over unpaid sales tax. One of the original locations in San Antonio remains open and is now known as &#8220;Mary Ann&#8217;s Pig Stand.&#8221; Every Friday night it is home to an appreciative crowd of old school cruiser and hot-rodders. A few additional locations remain in Oklahoma as &#8220;Van&#8217;s Pig Stands.&#8221;

 

We had a sonic open up in my town last summer but its just not the same as going to a old. One. But I happy I have something in my town. So I go with my car but I don't see alot.of old cars going there yet maybe this year.

 

Max, two great posts there, man. The Pig Stand sounds very much like Prince's, covered on Post #74. Now THAT is some TRAD food service. And you are right about the impersonal to downright surly service you can (I'll say SOME times, to be fair!) get nowadays -- forget about somebody coming and serving you in your car!

But that is why Jim started the thread. AND, I'm glad to hear LawBreaker's positive attitude about being grateful to have a "retro" drive-in in his town. At least it's in the right spirit and approaches recapturing a tad of the EXPERIENCE of the "car-hop" food stands that were once EVERYWHERE! As for rods & customs at your local eatery? I say, you BUILD it, and they will (eventually) come!

 

we went to Shoney's in College Park Ga then on to the Varsity in Atl if you parked up stairs you could get a good street race back in the 60's and early 70's theis is when it was fine

 

we have a sonic about 20 min from the house. ive been there once with a 53 ranchwagon. after reading this thread i do think ill start going ALOT more. only reason i went once is because of all the ricers..drive by there alot and never have seen a old car.now i feel guilty lol

 

Thanks,but I tried the history room in the library and the Saugus photo site but there isn't much for pics.

 

All these MASS locations and no mention of Johnson's Drive-in in Marshfield,MA!?!

Johnson's was an original A&W drive in. It closed in the late 90's after a family dispute and is now a used car lot
Ive been digging for a good picture but cant find one yet...

 

found one of the front sign, taken of the owner and a couple of radio guys...


The sign went up quite a bit higher and it had the oval A&W logo sign above.

 

I didn't know that Sonic had such humble beginnings, wow. I'll be visiting ours a lot more now.

 

Here the place with the best little burger I've ever had. Crabill's Rules !

 

We used to hang out at the Thunderbird drive in years ago. Here's a picture I took one afternoon (about 30 years ago) before the evening crowd showed up.



I got a menu after they closed down the place.........