Mid-60's interior shot
1978 menu
1975 ad
Above matchbooks courtesy of Robert McEwen
In the 1960's, Charlotte's hottest restaurant trend was charcoal steakhouses. Most of them were located in a one mile radius along West Morehead St and Wilkinson Blvd. Steak was in demand and charcoal-cooking was the preferred method.
One of the best of all of the charcoal steakhouses was Staley's on Wilkinson Blvd. It opened in the early-60's and ran until the mid-80's. They featured a "charcoal room" where the steaks were cooked, had nightly entertainment, and offered a dining room which featured red leather seating (the steakhouse look of the time). Staley's was so popular, they eventually opened a second, more formal (less steak-oriented) restaurant/lounge on Clanton Rd.
By the late-70's, these steakhouses were waning in popularity and most were all gone by the early-80's. Today, only two still exist in Charlotte.
If I'm not mistaken, Staley's was based in Winston-Salem. At one point, there were, I believe, three locations there: the original steakhouse on Reynolda Road, and restaurants at both Thruway and Northside shopping centers. The Reynolda location apparently lasted until 2003, per an article which just happened to run in this week's Sunday paper:
ReplyDeletehttp://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/feb/15/battle-brews-anew-on-reynolda/
You are absolutely correct--I thought about that the day after I did this post. Was surprised one location lasted until 2003. Thanks (as always) for your comment and the picture link!
ReplyDeleteMr. Staly was a great car lover and collector...I have a 1969 Dodge Daytona that I believe he bought and used as a parade car at Charlotte and Rockingham. If anybody knows more, please contact me at chiefcross@aol.com. I have been trying to find a picture or a movie of this car on the track for years. Any help would be appreciated... Thanks
ReplyDeleteI use to eat there a couple times each week with a group of friends. One in the group was dating Marie, one of the waitresses. One night a group from PTL came and Tammy Faye was very rude to Marie and we had to calm her friend from starting trouble. The food was always delicious and the gentleman you could play piano and organ together was great. Someone told me the local owner lost the steakhouse in a poker game.
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