Bygone eateries

Today's Charlotte Observer has a great list of dishes we miss from bygone eateries. Check it out by clicking here. Good to know that many of these places have been profiled on this site...

Belk's 1956

On Monday, November 12, 1956, Belk ushered in the new era of retailing with the grand opening of their newly renovated downtown store. $4 million dollars bought an extensive face-lift and an expansion that added over 200,000 square feet of new space. Included in the expansion was a new state of the art cafeteria in the basement and a new lunch counter on the mezzanine level. These great ads are from the opening week.

Pachi's

Located at the current spot of the Selwyn Ave Pub, Pachi's opened in May of 1989. Run by L.A. "Pachi" Diaz and his brothers Rick and Vince, Pachi's specialized in authentic Cuban cuisine. Cuban standards such as shredded flank steak, marinated swordfish, and roast pork shared the menu with unique Cuban offerings such as a Cuban oyster dish called Oyster Tente. Unfortunately, Pachi's would prove to be short-lived.

Tanner's revisted

Astute reader Rick Fisher notes there is a Tanner's in Greenville, SC that has been there since 1943. Officially named "Tanner's Big Orange", there must be a connection to the fabled Tanner's that was in downtown Charlotte for decades (see original post here). Thinking there must have been a franchise awarded to this Greenville location in the '40's. Anyone know?

Bo-Peep Grill

1952 ad

A nice postcard shot of a forgotten eatery from many years ago...

Carolina Diners Club 1975

From 1975 comes an ad for the Carolina Diners Club. Not sure what the deal was - it appears you pay dues and get free entrees. Nice list of restaurants at the time, though.

Space Stations

From February 1983 came news of the "restaurant of the future". Space Stations was to include "Space Cadet" servers in space-themed outfits, robots serving drinks, and a "Refuse Robot" trash can that said "thank you" when used. Alas, the concept never came to be and Charlotte was left wondering what dining in the future would really be like...

The Drum **HALL OF FAME EATERY**

The Drum as it appeared in 1948

The Drum as it appeared in the 1980's

Early 1960's menu (thanks to Rick Fisher)

Original Drum neon sign

The Drum's logo and motto

1953 ad

1975 ad

The Drum shortly after closing (note the "Drum" rising in the center)

The current eatery has a raised patio which gives a great view of the "drum"

The Drum Restaurant was located at 1520 East Blvd. and was opened in 1948 by Wad Smith. When the restaurant was first built, it was round and decorated like a drum. The original set-up included a lunch counter, two tables, four booths, and car-hop curb service. In 1955, it was enlarged to include 15 booths and in 1961, 10 additional booths were added. Curb service continued until 1968. Over time with the enlarging of the restaurant, the original drum structure was built around and was only visible along the roof-line.

Wad's son, Larry, began working at The Drum in 1960, became manager in 1973, and ultimately took over all operations in 1976 when his dad retired.

The concept of The Drum changed very little over the years. Consistently offering home-style cooked meats and vegetables along with daily prepared pies. The menu also offered king mackerel and black bass caught by Wad himself.

The Drum would run for 47 years finally closing on June 28, 1995 after the lunch service. The building has housed several restaurants over the years of varying success. The one constant is the visible drum still rising above the restaurant---a forever symbol of old Charlotte at its finest.

Do you remember these Charlotte restaurants?

Came across this list recently. Which eateries do you recall? Share your memories!

Charlotte Dining - 1972

1972 magazine insert showcasing the popular restaurants of the time. How many do you remember?

Ole Smokehouse **CLOSED**

The famous Chinese oven

The Queen City Room - reserved for large parties.

The two above signs were mounted above the window to the kitchen.

Opened in 1957, The Ole Smokehouse was a tradition for barbecue in South Charlotte. Located on Montford Dr, The Ole Smokehouse was at the top of the hill that was for years one of Charlotte's original "restaurant rows". Their meats were cooked in a unique Chinese oven and the style of barbecue was minced (more finely cut than the standard "chopped"). It was owned since 1985 by the Koutsoupias family---Bill Koutsoupias started working at the restaurant in 1970 and eventually bought out the original owners. A second location on Yorkmount Drive closed in 2002.

The Ole Smokehouse closed on June 5 of this year. It's closing signals the final switch from the original restaurant row of the 1950's to a new flock of chef-driven eateries that are now lining the street. It will be missed.