Road Side Store (Demolished)
Wakefield, LA
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The Road Side Store in Wakefield, Louisiana, offered a weathered roadside welcome along U.S. 61. Its wooden walls and hand-painted advertisements for barbecue ribs, steaks, and chicken gave passing motorists plenty to read while deciding whether to stop. The building looked right at home beneath the surrounding trees. 02-07

The hand-painted lettering was as much a part of the place as the structure itself. Rather than putting everything on one large marquee, the store advertised its offerings across the building, giving it the appearance of a working roadside business that had accumulated its character over time.

UPDATE: The Road Side Store has been demolished. Its wooden building and painted advertisements are no longer part of the U.S. 61 scenery, leaving this view as a reminder of a modest Louisiana stop with plenty of personality. 08-26

Hops Bar-B-Q
Asheboro, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Hop's Bar-B-Q served Asheboro, North Carolina, from its familiar Sunset Avenue location for seventy-four years. Opened in 1952, the restaurant became known for chopped barbecue, breakfasts, and Southern plate lunches, drawing customers who made it part of their everyday routine. 12-07

Longtime owner Jerry Southard began working for founder Burrell Hopkins when he was just fourteen. He eventually took over the restaurant, developing his own recipes, including its barbecue sauce. Jerry and his wife, Lila, worked side by side, making the business a family undertaking that continued across generations of customers.

UPDATE: Hop's closed on August 29, 2026, following Southard's death the previous year and the family's efforts to continue operating. Regulars crowded in during its final weeks for another meal and a chance to say goodbye to a longtime downtown favorite. 11-26

Twig and Leaf
Louisville, KY
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Twig and Leaf sign still proclaims “Tops in Food” above Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky. Its neon and compact diner building give the Douglass Loop neighborhood a familiar mid-century landmark. The property's diner appearance dates to a 1959 remodeling of an earlier Dairy Freeze. 12-07

The restaurant became the focus of a preservation campaign when redevelopment threatened the block. Local landmark designation followed in 2011, recognizing an everyday dining spot whose architecture and sign had become part of the neighborhood. The menu later expanded beyond traditional diner fare to include Guatemalan and Mexican dishes.

UPDATE: Twig and Leaf survived another setback when a car struck the building on March 18, 2026. Repairs allowed an April 4 reopening, bringing customers back after a brief closure. Good to see this neon landmark continuing to hold its place along Bardstown Road. 11-26

Greg's Bar-B-Q (Gone)
Mooresville, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The pig perched above Greg's Bar-B-Q gave this Mooresville, North Carolina, restaurant an unmistakable roadside identity. Before reaching the door, customers had already been introduced to the specialty of the house. It's quite a way to announce barbecue to motorists passing through town. 01-08

The restaurant served North Carolina barbecue and Southern meals, with the rooftop figure supplying a landmark beyond the lettering on the business. Later accounts of downtown Mooresville identify a former Greg's BBQ space that subsequently housed Sam & Syd's Place, adding another restaurant chapter to the location.

UPDATE: Greg's has closed, and its rooftop pig is gone. The name remains part of Mooresville's remembered dining landscape, alongside the other independent restaurants that served the town before newer businesses took their places. 11-26

Central Lunch (Gone)
Albemarle, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Albemarle is home to the the tiny Central Lunch. This joint just screams great sandwiches but was closed this day. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 01-08

There was considerably more history here than its size suggested. Historic-district documentation dates the building to 1929–1930 and records the restaurant opening in 1930. Central Lunch was still operating when that survey was prepared, giving this small establishment a documented run reaching back to the beginning of the Depression.

UPDATE: Central Lunch has since closed, and its storefront sign has been removed. The little restaurant's place in Albemarle's historic-district records helps preserve the story behind a business that might otherwise be remembered only by those who stopped for lunch. 11-26