Before McDonald's, Burger King, Sandy's and the rest of the national chains came to Lorain County starting in the early 1960s, if you wanted a quick, casual meal then you probably visited a local drive-in. The 1950s were their heyday, before they were largely crowded out by the fast food giants.
One of them that I'd never heard of before held their grand opening this week, 70 years ago. Ridgeview Drive In was located on the corner of North Ridge Road and Clinton Avenue.
Above is the ad that ran in the Lorain Journal on August 13, 1954 on the eve of the opening.
A few weeks later, the drive-in was included in the New Telephone Numbers update that ran in the paper on August 27, 1954.
Ridgeview Drive-in wasn't around very long, as its success and good location apparently caught the attention of restaurant entrepreneur
Richard Head. Within a few years, Ridgeview Drive-in became the second unit (and Southside location) in Head's
Hoop Drive-in empire. Below is the ad announcing the change that ran in the
Lorain Journal on June 29, 1957.
The Manners Restaurant organization eventually began buying up the Hoop Drive-ins, converting them to Manners outlets, and Richard Head joined the organization. The only Hoop Drive-in that did not become part of Manners was the one at N. Ridge and Clinton. Later in the 1960s, a brand new Manners opened down N. Ridge to the east near Route 57.
The former drive-in building at Clinton and N. Ridge Rd. disappeared in vintage aerial views by the late 1960s
Today, the 2017 N. Ridge Road location is home to Urban Legends Tattoos & Piercings, with its N. Ridge Road neighbor to the west being the Lorain County Board of Elections.
4 comments:
Still a few places like that scattered hither and yon; we have a wonderful little place called Williams Drive -Inn about twelve miles from where I sit; it's been there since 1956, and the food is incredible, old school drive in yummy, nothing fancy or toy food-y. If you're down this way, stop by.
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Dan, there was also a family owned drive-in on West Erie, just east of Baumhart Rd - about where that electric substation is now. It was called Paul’s Drive In and they sold chicken sandwiches, burgers, fries, custard and such according to my mom. It’s where, in 1952, my dad met her. She was a car hop there and he ordered a strawberry shake and fried hotdog, and said it was love at first sight. Long closed by the time I came around…My mom said the family who owned it were the Urie’s, they lived on Niagara Rd in Vermilion where she grew up.
Never heard of it, thanks!
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