Barclay Cafeteria - 1968

Super 1968 ad for the Barclay Cafeteria on Independence Blvd. Original post here.

Welcome Soldier!

From a booklet called "Welcome Soldier! to Charlotte, North Carolina" comes this list of restaurants from 1942. The booklet was given to visiting soldiers during WWII and contained helpful info about Charlotte and things to do while in town. Great look at the dining scene in the Charlotte 1940's.

Booklet cover

First page of booklet

The Penguin - Pt II

The Penguin's website features this great shot from the early days. Click here for the original Penguin post. 

La Roma Ristoranti

La Roma Ristoranti was a popular Italian restaurant located on the corner of West Blvd and Remount Rd. Diners were promised a true "Little Italy" experience. Its heyday was during the late-1960's. The restaurant was destroyed in an arson-related fire in October 1975.

Myers Park Pharmacy

A look back to 1930 and an interesting ad from the Myers Park Pharmacy promoting their "delightful Sodas and Sandwiches". Up until the late 1990's, the drugstore lunch counter was a popular Charlotte eating spot. Back in 1930, you could also go next door and putt a few holes, too.

Stamey's - Pt II

From March 30, 1984 comes a nice article detailing the closing of Stamey's -- a downtown fixture for decades. Click here for the original post.

Kofinas Snack Bar - Pt II

Great article from when Kofinas Snack Bar closed in December 1981. Click here for the original Kofinas post.

Hearth and Embers Restaurant

Nice 1960's interior shot of the Hearth and Embers Restaurant that was located inside the Manger Motor Inn at N. Tryon and 10th St. Click here for a 1970's interior shot.

Barringer Hotel

1965 shot of the Barringer Hotel's famous elegant dining room

1941 shot

The Barringer Hotel was located on the southeast corner of North Tryon and Eighth Streets. It was the last to be built of the original Charlotte downtown fine hotels. Lawrence and Flora Barringer opened the hotel on December 14, 1940 and named it in honor of Lawrence's father, William R. Barringer. Its elegant dining room was a popular dining spot for lodgers and residents alike. It would fall on hard times in the 1970's, changing hands frequently with its incarnation as the Cavalier Inn through the mid-'70's being the longest. The building still stands today. No longer a hotel, it currently houses homeless women in need.

Mickey Rooney's Stairway to the Stars

From October 1969 comes this article about a planned restaurant chain involving Mickey Rooney and Dick Van Dyke. Not sure if it ever happened, but it sounds interesting.

S & W Cafeteria - Interior shots

Three exciting interior shots of the original S&W Cafeteria that was on West Trade St. Click here for the original S&W post.

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)

Stork Restaurants credit card

From the archives of Mike Richardson comes this amazing Stork Restaurants credit card from 1956. Mike's grandfather worked for Ivey's in downtown Charlotte and this was his company Stork credit card. A stunning treasure. Thanks, Mike! Check out the original Stork post here.

Out to Lunch Top 10 - May 2004

Nice look from May 2004 at the top 10 lunch spots in Charlotte. Some still are around and thriving, others are just distant memories.

Cajun Queen 1985

Some nice ads (including a menu peek) of the early days of the Cajun Queen from 1985.

Village Tavern

Early '90's ad

1983 ad

1989 interior shot

1992 ad

1994 interior shot

Hard to believe the Village Tavern's Charlotte location has been in business for over 30 years. Based out of Winston-Salem, the chain of three has expanded over the years into 11 locations spanning 4 states. The Southpark location holds a special place with Charlotte diners. Hidden in the Rotunda Building, it is South Charlotte's oldest restaurant and is a model for consistency and tradition.

Clark's Discount Department Store - Amity Gardens Shopping Center - 1962

Great shot of the lunch counter inside Clark's at the Amity Gardens Shopping Center. Clark's was a grocery, drug, sundries, and department store that had a huge dining area. In 1972, it was bought out by Cook's which would eventually close in early 1975. This lunch counter image is from 1962.