Skyland Restaurant

Mid-70's photo of the original Skyland

1969 ad

The current Skyland Restaurant

Jimmy Kakavitsas enjoying breakfast (served all day!)

Skyland Restaurant has had two lives in Charlotte restaurant history. The original Skyland Restaurant was opened by legendary Charlotte restauranteur Pete Politis in 1960 on South Blvd (near the intersection of Woodlawn Rd). Similar to other restaurants of the time (Knife & Fork, San Remo), Skyland was a family restaurant featuring everything from pizza and fried seafood to fried chicken and other traditional home-cooked classics. The original Skyland would run for 15 years, closing in 1975.

In 1994, Jimmy Kakavitsas reopened Skyland Restaurant about a 1/2 mile from the original location. Jimmy had worked for many years under Politis at several of Politis' different restaurants (including Tanner's). With the assistance of Politis, Kakavistis (along with partner Jimmy Apostolou) reopened Skyland in the former Plantation Family Restaurant location. The menu is similar to the original Skyland's menu, but the restaurant is opened 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Even though Pete Politis has long since retired from the restaurant business, he can be found most days at Skyland greeting customers just like in the old days.

Athen's Restaurant **HALL OF FAME EATERY**

1950's shot of Jerry's Drive-In (pre-Athen's)

Daytime shots (above two photos courtesy of David at Groceteria)

Night shot from May 1984

The legendary sign at night (the arrow blinked towards the building)

Daytime shot of the sign

Original matchbook

September 1966 ad

Above three are interesting black & white interior shots (unknown source)

Athen's Restaurant was open for 43 years on the corner of Independence Blvd and East 4 St (on the edge of downtown). It was known for its classic diner fare and full traditional Greek menu as well as for its famous street-side sign of the chubby chef with the giant blinking yellow arrow. It was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and its patrons ranged from the daytime lunch crowd to the nighttime club goers. Athen's was also famous for one of its waitresses that started to work there in the mid-60's and stayed until the very end. Throughout the years, the area changed from a bustling business district to an area dominated by the local community college (and not much else). Athen's was the one constant in the area. In 2007, Athen's lost its lease to the ever-expanding community college. Currently the corner lot sits vacant awaiting for a new college building.

REVISIONS-- 8-2-2008

1976 ad

REVISIONS -- 8-9-2008

Nice street-side photos from 2006

REVISIONS -- 1-9-2009

The Sandpiper

1980 interior shot

Late-'70's ad

In a town dominated by fried seafood restaurants, the Sandpiper was a breath of fresh air. Opened in the mid-70's by legendary Charlotte restauranteur Pete Politis, The Sandpiper specialized primarily in broiled seafood. The Sandpiper was on Independence Blvd on the edge of Matthews (in the '70's, this stretch of Independence was fairly desolate--quite the opposite of today) and stayed in business thorough the mid-'80's. Certainly not one of Charlotte's most famous eateries, but The Sandpiper developed a devoted following during its relatively short-run.

REVISIONS-- 8-2-2008

1976 ad

1986 ad

Tanner's Snack Bar **HALL OF FAME EATERY**

1970 photo--Tanner's briefly closed for renovations under new ownership

1974 photo of Tanner's on North Tryon St.

Front sign of the remaining Tanner's north of downtown

Sidewall sign of the remaining Tanner's north of downtown

As far as institutions in downtown Charlotte go, Tanner's Snack Bar is at the top of the list. Tanner's was an unassuming eatery frequented by all types of downtown workers (from construction workers to bank officers). With several locations in downtown Charlotte, Tanner's became popular for their footlong hot dogs and cream cheese sandwiches. The hot dogs were served with chili, mustards, and onions, and the cream cheese sandwiches were served with everything from olives to pineapples and came on raisin toast. Tanner's was most famous for their hot-shelled peanuts which accompanied every sandwich (served in little wax paper bags) and their fresh-squeezed orange juice (you could watch from the outside window as they squeezed the juice). Tanner's was at their peak downtown from the 1940's through the 1970's (all downtown locations closed in the early-80's). In the mid-90's, a new Tanner's popped up on North Tryon (north of downtown- near 36th St). About six years ago, another location opened on Old Pineville Rd near Woodlawn (since closed).