| Eateries |
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| NEW YORK: DRIVE-INS |
| former Mandy's Drive-in now Dollar Tree Syracuse, NY |
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This building was originally Mandy's Drive-in and built in 1964. The restaurant specialized in roast beef sandwiches. The sign (now gone), roof, and ball on top were all turquoise at that time. The building was designed by Toby Nadel and Edward Fisher. It closed in 1969 and briefly became "Archie's Drive-in".
The box-like building was added later when the place was turned into "Kid's Town" (a toy store). In 2003, when I took the two photos at left, it was "Record Theatre Audio & Video". It is now a "Dollar Tree" discount store. Dollar Tree removed the circular counter (which I believe was original) but left the incredible wood ceiling. The ball on the roof looks a lot like a Norge ball (which Dollar Tree still illuminates at night). [info thanks Frank Hammon] |
| Walter's Hot Dogs Mamaroneck, NY |
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| Walter's Hot Dogs opened in 1919, selling hot dogs and apple cider. It moved to its present location in 1928. Their sign spells out “Walter’s” in hot dogs. Today, they continue to sell their specially formulated “splits” (hot dogs made of beef, pork and veal, split down the middle) and grainy mustard with pickle bits. The building has a copper roof and is a stylized Chinese pagoda. There was talk of franchising in the 1990s. The business is still in Walter’s sons hands. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Heid's Liverpool, NY |
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Heid's was founded in 1883 by Valentine Heid. It was originally a restaurant/grocery. In 1913, it was destroyed by fire. They rebuilt and started serving hot dogs (for which they are famous) in 1917. There was another serious fire in the 1930s and Heid's was rebuilt in 1939 in the Art Deco style.
A photo from 1954 shows the same overall design (tower, glass block entrance and the round window). However, the eating area's side oval windows were square and the sides were either partially open or panels could be lifted out depending on the weather like Mac's Drive-in. Franchising in the 1990s didn’t go well and Heid's is back to this single location. They also offered homemade ice cream in an adjacent building named "Heid's Sweet Treats" but that shut down in 1996. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Annie's Restaurant [gone] Stony Point, NY |
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| Annie's Restaurant opened in 1956 as a hot dog stand. This local hangout featured a walk-up window and picnic tables, as well as indoor dining. They closed in 2007 and will be replaced with a CVS drug store and a bank. For more, see this website. |
| L-Ken's Drive-in [closed] Colonie, NY |
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| L-Ken's Drive-in opened in the early 1960s. L-Ken's was a walk-up-to-the-window affair. I don't believe there were carhops. The sign features lots of moving lights and a revolving hot dog. The restaurant closed in 2007 and will most likely be demolished. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Jumpin' Jack's Drive-in Scotia, NY |
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| Jumpin' Jack's Drive-in has been around since 1952. It huge parking lot, cheap eats, and proximity to Collins Park and the Mohawk River helps draw plenty of repeat customers. There did not appear to be carhops. For more, see this website. |
| Red Rooster Brewster, NY |
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| The Red Rooster Drive-in opened in the 1950s. It has hard and soft-serve ice cream, burgers, picnic tables and some indoor seating, as well as a simple mini golf next door. The ice cream on the roof is similar in style to those at this page. |
| PJ's Bar-B-Q Saratoga Springs, NY |
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| PJ's Bar-B-Q features "Saratoga Style" chicken and ribs cooked in an open pit barbecue behind the stand. They opened in 1984 and occupy a former 1950s A&W drive-in. For more, see their website. |
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Elsewhere in this section:
Mac's Drive-in Restaurant (Waterloo) |
| NY Ice Cream | NY Misc. |
| Main Eateries Page | Links & Books |
| [Main Roadside Page] |
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