The emporium traces its roots to a Georgia pecan dealer who started a stand to sell nut candies made by his wife. As the country emerged from the Depression, W.S. “Sylvester” Stuckey Sr. began to build stores and soon was outfitting them with gas pumps, lunch counters and gift shops. His newly founded chain, with a signature blue roof, grew along with the country’s new interstate highway system, reaching 368 locations in more than 30 states, with a concentration across the South and Southwest.
For baby boomers, it became a road trip staple, an oasis of souvenirs and sweets, plus clean restrooms. But it was sold a couple of times to conglomerates and began a downward spiral after the oil embargo of the 1970s temporarily put the road trip out of fashion, and fast-food challengers sprouted along the highways.
Now it’s trying to launch a comeback.
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:51 am
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2022 3:24 pm
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2022 6:13 pm
by tek
the most important thing to have at a drive-in in New England
pic.jpg (62.11 KiB) Viewed 1896 times
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2022 6:27 pm
by AndyinPA
One of Pittsburgh's claim to fame.
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 9:57 am
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 12:12 pm
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2022 7:09 pm
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2022 10:48 am
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2022 10:58 am
by AndyinPA
Today's Cracker Jacks bear little resemblance to what I had as a kid (as this video explains). My grandkids are totally unimpressed.
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 8:16 am
by pjhimself
Willie Mickey and the Duke:
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 3:03 pm
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 5:15 pm
by MN-Skeptic
My, that 50s video nailed it. Not everything applied to my town, for example, we didn’t have ice cream trucks. But watching Ed Sullivan on Sunday nights was certainly a thing. By the way, I turned 7 in the last month of the 50s, so I was too young for poodle skirts and dating. But at our local drug store you could get milkshakes and cherry colas which was pretty cool.
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 5:18 pm
by Danraft
ok … maybe a bit off the wall… but Sea Monkeys were a thing.
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2022 12:39 pm
by realist
MN-Skeptic wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 2022 5:15 pm
My, that 50s video nailed it. Not everything applied to my town, for example, we didn’t have ice cream trucks. But watching Ed Sullivan on Sunday nights was certainly a thing. By the way, I turned 7 in the last month of the 50s, so I was too young for poodle skirts and dating. But at our local drug store you could get milkshakes and cherry colas which was pretty cool.
Still can at the drug store in my hometown, fountain drinks, shakes and malts, and some really good hamburgers.
Stanton Drug-1.png (443.58 KiB) Viewed 1503 times
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2022 7:27 am
by pjhimself
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2022 7:49 am
by tek
The local competition, in western Massachusetts
donut_dip.jpg (63.47 KiB) Viewed 1437 times
Today, Donut Dip donuts are waaaay better than Dunkin donuts..
IIRC at one time there were two Donut Dip shops, but today only the original 1957 location in West Springfield is open.
donut_dip2.jpg (82.71 KiB) Viewed 1437 times
Re: Nostalgia
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:05 am
by Tiredretiredlawyer
MN-Skeptic wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 2022 5:15 pm
My, that 50s video nailed it. Not everything applied to my town, for example, we didn’t have ice cream trucks. But watching Ed Sullivan on Sunday nights was certainly a thing. By the way, I turned 7 in the last month of the 50s, so I was too young for poodle skirts and dating. But at our local drug store you could get milkshakes and cherry colas which was pretty cool.
I had a poodle skirt! I also took Firstborn Son to a local drugstore in the 80's for milkshakes, hamburgers, cherry colas. You name it!