Pizza Hut - Early 1970's

In the 1970's, Pizza Hut was a dominant force in the Charlotte restaurant landscape. These three great ads from 1973 and photo postcard represent Pizza Hut at the height of their Charlotte presence. Now mostly a takeout/delivery operation, the area is dotted with former dine-in locations that have been turned into locally-owned non-Pizza Hut eateries - you can't mistake that trademark building style.

Greystone Restaurant - Time for breakfast...

Great breakfast menu from the Greystone from 1983. Still a tradition for breakfast today - one of the best livermush choices in the city! Thanks to Tommy at the Greystone for the menu. Click here for the original Greystone post.

Ivey's Soda Shop --- revisited

From 1950, comes this nice peak into the then-popular Ivey's Soda Shop in downtown Charlotte. We have visited this eatery before (see posts here and here) -- this particular shot gives a nice look at the super signage at the top of the wall.

Wad's Soda Shop **HALL OF FAME EATERY**

The legendary neon Wad's sign

Wad's was located in Dilworth at 1608 East Blvd. The legendary soda, sundries, and small grocery shop opened in early 1954 and was owned by Samuel Wadsworth Smith. Originally located at the corner of East Blvd and Cumberland Ave, Wad's moved two blocks west to 1608 East Blvd on April 17, 1957 and stayed there for 38 years before closing in the Fall of 1995. Wad's was famous for everything from its chili hot dogs, fresh squeezed lemonade and orangeade, toasted pimento cheese sandwiches, and a wide array of milk shakes and other ice cream concoctions. It would always stay in the Smith family as daughter Carolyn Smith Cullingford and husband Harold took over the reins in 1974. Samuel also owned the famed Drum Restaurant up the street, which his son Larry would take over before also closing in 1995.

Wad's was a Charlotte institution and with its closing, signaled the changing of most of the classic eateries on East Blvd that had opened in the 1950's.

(Received an email from Matt Jamison - he and his dad, Phil, now own the sign and after a minor restoration, it now hangs in Phil's garage)