Candle Lite Restaurant (Rem.)
Fort Wayne, IN Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley
The Candle Lite Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana featured a neat roadside sign with a glowing neon candle that fit the restaurant's name perfectly. It wasn't an elaborate sign, but the flickering flame made it stand out, especially after dark. 12-07
The restaurant eventually became Klemm's Candlelight Cafe, but fortunately the best part of the old sign survived. While the original neon lettering is gone, the familiar neon flame still lights up out front. Today the restaurant is known for its hearty breakfasts and homemade pies, making it a popular neighborhood stop.
UPDATE: The Candle Lite Restaurant is now named Klemm's Candlelite Cafe. The neon flame still exists, however the neon lettering is now gone. This place is known for their hearty breakfasts. 09-17
UPDATE: The restaurant now operates as Klemm's Candlelight Cafe. The original neon lettering has been replaced, but the classic neon candle flame still survives. 07-26s
Nick's Restaurant
Anderson, IN Photos and info courtesy Craig Selvey
Here are a couple of pictures of Nick's Restaurant in Anderson, Indiana. Located along Broadway, this classic diner sits on what was once State Road 9 before the highway was rerouted around downtown. It's a great stretch of road to explore, with several old gas stations and restaurants still lining the street. 01-08
Nick's has all the ingredients of a classic neighborhood diner, including big front windows and a long sit-down counter. Inside you'll find the kind of comfort food that's been drawing in locals for years, from hearty breakfasts and oversized omelets to breaded pork tenderloins and hand-breaded onion rings.
It's nice to see places like this still doing what they've always done. The building has plenty of character, and the vintage roadside sign fits it perfectly.
UPDATE: Nick's Restaurant is still serving customers on Broadway, and both the classic diner and its roadside sign remain part of Anderson's old commercial corridor. 07-26
Skyline Restaurant (Demolished)
Muncie, IN Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The Skyline Restaurant in Muncie, IN features a neon lit marquee that's quite eye-catching to passersby.Brightly lit and mounted high on the building, it was the kind of sign that caught your attention long before you reached the front door. 01-08
The restaurant had been serving customers since the World War II era and became a popular local gathering place during the 1960s and 1970s. For many years it was owned by Jimmy Carter, who entertained diners by playing the organ while they enjoyed their meals.
Unfortunately, the building sat vacant for years after closing and gradually fell into disrepair. It's another reminder of how quickly these old roadside landmarks can disappear once the doors are locked.
UPDATE: The Skyline Restaurant building was demolished in 2017. The fate of the neon marquee couldn't be confirmed. 07-26
Olympic Flame Restaurant (Closed)
Highland, IN Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The neon marquee at Olympic Flame Restaurant was the kind of sign that made you slow down for a second look. Brightly lit and full of personality, it stood out along the roadside and gave this Highland restaurant a classic mid-century look after dark. 01-08
Olympic Flame was a traditional family restaurant that served the community for many years. While little has been documented about its history, the restaurant was one of those neighborhood places that people came to know as much for its familiar sign as for the food inside.
Unfortunately, the restaurant has since closed, and recent information about the building is limited. The fate of the neon marquee is also uncertain, although it no longer appears to be at its original location.
Fortunately, photos like this preserve another piece of roadside Americana that has quietly disappeared from the landscape.
UPDATE: Olympic Flame Restaurant is permanently closed. The current status of the original building couldn't be confirmed, and the neon marquee no longer appears to survive at the site. 06-26
Fox & Hounds Inn (Demolished)
Bloomfield, MI Photos and info courtesy Richard Weiss
The Fox & Hounds Inn in Bloomfield Hills was a landmark restaurant dating from 1928. It always catered to the wealthy and remained virtually unchanged until the day the doors were closed. One of my earliest memories is of this place with its gold dome which as a kid really stood out as we would drive by.
The building, like many of the nearby mansions, was designed in the traditional Tudor style that was popular at the time. The building was sold to a developer who tossed down the standard "the building is in too bad of a condition to be saved" card.
At Christmas 2007, all that remained was the planter and trees you see in these pictures. The builder said it plans to incorporate some of the design elements into the new building so I am sure we can look forward to a cheesy looking structure sometime in the future much like across the street when a few years back they pulled down a few 20's era English style storefronts and put up what can only be described as a non-de script building. The last event held at the Fox & Hounds was a Woodward Dream Cruise party. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-08
The Fox & Hounds Inn was one of the more recognizable buildings along Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Built in the late 1920s, the English Tudor-style inn looked more like something you'd expect to find in the English countryside than along a busy Detroit-area roadway. The architecture alone made it worth a second look.
Over the years the property was much more than just a restaurant. It also housed a gas station, grocery store, ballroom, shops, apartments, and guest rooms, making it a busy gathering place for the community. During Prohibition, an underground tunnel beneath the building was even used to move illegal liquor.
After nearly 80 years in business, the inn closed in 2007 and was demolished later that year. It's hard to imagine such a distinctive building disappearing, but fortunately plenty of photographs remain.
UPDATE: The Fox & Hounds Inn closed and was demolished in 2007. Both the building and its original signage are gone. 07-26
Nick's Restaurant
It's nice to see places like this still doing what they've always done. The building has plenty of character, and the vintage roadside sign fits it perfectly.
Fox & Hounds Inn (Demolished)
hat remained was the planter and trees you see in these pictures. The builder said it plans to incorporate some of the design elements into the new building so I am sure we can look forward to a cheesy looking structure sometime in the future much like across the street when a few years back they pulled down a few 20's era English style storefronts and put up what can only be described as a non-de script building. The last event held at the Fox & Hounds was a Woodward Dream Cruise party. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-08
