Wooden Shoe Restaurant
Holland, MI Photo courtesy Steve Felder
A great find, the Wooden Shoe Restaurant in Holland, MI features one of the more unusual roadside signs around. Shaped like a giant wooden clog, the marquee fits perfectly with Holland's Dutch heritage. Add a traditional windmill in the background, and you've got a scene that's hard to pass by without stopping.
The business began in 1928 as a wooden shoe factory before growing into a roadside complex that included a restaurant, gift shop, and motel. After a devastating fire destroyed the original downtown location on Christmas Eve in 1956, the business was rebuilt along U.S. 31, where it continues to welcome visitors today.
While wooden shoes are no longer made here, the restaurant has remained a longtime breakfast favorite. Along with American diner fare, the menu features Dutch specialties, homemade cinnamon rolls, and other longtime favorites that have kept locals and travelers coming back for decades.
Fortunately, the giant shoe-shaped sign is still there, making it one of the more distinctive roadside attractions in western Michigan.
UPDATE: The Wooden Shoe Restaurant remains open in Holland. The iconic wooden shoe-shaped roadside sign continues to survive, while the former factory buildings now house other businesses. 07-26
Dutch Mill (Demolished)
Gilman, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
Yes, it is the Dutch Mill in Gilman, IL. Featuring a faux windmill that looks more two-dimensional than three, the building was hard to miss and definitely worth pulling over for a closer look.
The Dutch Mill was a classic roadside supper club that catered to travelers passing through one of central Illinois' busiest highway intersections. Inside were steaks, fried chicken, seafood, a cocktail lounge, and even live music and dancing on the weekends. It was the kind of place where you could stop for dinner and stay for the evening.
What really made the restaurant stand out, though, was the windmill. It may not have been the most realistic one ever built, but it did exactly what it was supposed to do—catch the attention of passing motorists. Roadside architecture like this gave restaurants their own personality, and the Dutch Mill certainly had plenty of it.
UPDATE: The Dutch Mill has been demolished, and both the building and its windmill-themed roadside sign have been removed. 07-26
Hi Mark Restaurant
Kokomo, IN
Photo and info courtesy Emily Steele
Here's the Hi Mark Restaurant in Kokomo, IN. This longtime roadside spot has been around for quite some time, and it's nice to see the vintage sign cleaned up and looking good again. A little attention can go a long way with an old marquee.
Over the years, Hi Mark has changed with the times. What started as a family restaurant has gradually evolved into more of a neighborhood bar and lounge, offering pub food along with pool tables, darts, karaoke, and late-night entertainment.
The sign is still the biggest attraction from the road. Fortunately, instead of replacing it with something modern, the owners chose to freshen up the original. It's always good to see an old sign preserved rather than discarded.
UPDATE: Hi Mark remains open in Kokomo as a neighborhood bar and lounge. Its vintage roadside sign survives and has been cleaned up and restored. 07-26
Here's Mayhew's Restaurant, originally identified as being in Sandusky, OH. It turns out this location was actually in nearby Port Clinton, where its roadside marquee sat right alongside the building to catch the attention of travelers using the bypass. 06-07
Lyle Mayhew was well known in the area, first operating a restaurant in Sandusky before opening his namesake restaurant in Port Clinton. The restaurant became especially popular for its homemade doughnuts, a recipe that remained well known in the region long after the restaurant was gone.
The sign wasn't especially flashy, but it fit the building perfectly and did exactly what a roadside marquee was supposed to do. It's another reminder that even simple signs can leave a lasting impression.
Unfortunately, Mayhew's eventually closed, and the building later became the Town Towers Motel Restaurant before disappearing altogether. The old roadside sign is gone as well.
UPDATE: Mayhew's Restaurant is no longer standing, and the vintage roadside marquee has been removed. 07-26
La Hacienda (Gone)
Indianapolis, IN Photo and info courtesy Emily Steele
Check out La Hacienda in Indianapolis, IN. Before it became a Mexican restaurant, this unique building was home to The Torch Restaurant, and thankfully one of its most distinctive features stayed behind—a gigantic sea-green torch rising right through the middle of the dining room. The building itself was just as interesting, with a futuristic mid-century design that looked like something straight out of the 1960s.
When La Hacienda moved in, it kept much of the building's original character, making it one of the more unusual places to stop for Mexican food. The large windows, angular roofline, and the torch itself gave the restaurant a personality that couldn't be mistaken for anywhere else.
The building later became another Mexican restaurant, Los Cuates, but eventually the property closed for good. Unfortunately, another great piece of mid-century roadside architecture disappeared along with it.
UPDATE: The former La Hacienda building is closed, and the iconic mid-century restaurant has been removed. The fate of the giant sea-green torch could not be confirmed. 07-26
La Hacienda
Indianapolis, IN Photo and info courtesy Emily Steele
Mike's
Indianapolis, IN Photo courtesy Emily Steele
Drop by Mike's on the way to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is just down the road. The old roadside marquee is reason enough to slow down, advertising everything from "Great Food" to "Park In Rear" with the kind of straightforward charm you don't see much anymore.
Being so close to the Speedway, Mike's has long been a gathering place for race fans before and after the action. Today it operates as a neighborhood bar and grill serving burgers, pizza, wings, and other pub favorites, while continuing to welcome both locals and visitors headed to the track.
The sign is what first caught my attention. It's not flashy, but it has that classic roadside look that fits the building perfectly and reminds you of a time when every neighborhood tavern seemed to have its own personality.
Fortunately, both Mike's and its old marquee are still around, making this another nice survivor for anyone exploring the Indianapolis area.
UPDATE: Mike's Speedway Lounge remains open near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Its vintage roadside marquee continues to survive. 07-26
Como's Restaurant
Royal Oaks, MI Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Here's the marquee for Como's Restaurant, located in Ferndale, MI, just north of Detroit. Earlier photo captions often listed it as Royal Oak, but it's actually been a Ferndale landmark for decades. Wish signs were still commonly made like this today.
The black and yellow marquee, complete with its distinctive star, has been catching the attention of motorists along Woodward Avenue since the restaurant's early years. It's one of those signs that perfectly matches the personality of the building and has become almost as well known as the restaurant itself.
Como's dates back to the 1950s and has seen its share of changes over the years. After closing in 2017, many people wondered if the landmark was gone for good. Fortunately, new owners stepped in, restored the building, saved the vintage sign, and reopened the restaurant in 2019 with a menu centered around Detroit-style pizza. It's always nice to see an old sign survive, especially when it continues to do the job it was built for so many years ago.
UPDATE: Como's Restaurant is open once again in Ferndale following a major restoration. Its classic black and yellow roadside marquee has been preserved and continues to welcome customers. 07-26
Wooden Shoe Restaurant
Dutch Mill (Demolished)
Mayhew's Restaurant (Gone)
La Hacienda (Gone)
Mike's
Como's Restaurant
