Aurora Coffee Shop (Closed)
Seattle, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The sweeping roof of the Aurora Coffee Shop looked ready to take off over Seattle’s Aurora Avenue. Walls of glass and bold Googie styling made this a place worth noticing before you even thought about ordering coffee. It certainly offered more roadside personality than the average breakfast stop. 03-05
Built in 1963 as a Sambo’s Restaurant, the building later became the Aurora Coffee Shop. Six large oval panels along the roof edge originally spelled out “SAMBOS,” making the architecture part of the advertising. Even after the letters disappeared, the distinctive roofline kept announcing its coffee shop origins.
UPDATE: The Aurora Coffee Shop has too gone to the great fryer in the sky. They closed two years ago and the building was sold to a U-rent company. Fortunately, they haven't changed the building that much but the original soul of the building is very much gone - all that is left is the shell. Hopefully one day it will return to it's former greasy glory! Many thanks to Michele Gould for update. 07-07
UPDATE: The restaurant closed in 2005, and Aurora Rents moved into the building. The old roadside sign is gone, but much of the unusual architecture survives. You can no longer stop here for pancakes, though there’s still plenty to appreciate from the sidewalk. 07-26
China Buffet (Closed)
Grants Pass, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The China Buffet in Grants Pass looked strangely familiar, especially after seeing Seattle’s Aurora Coffee Shop. The sweeping roof, broad windows, and futuristic styling suggested the same family resemblance. There was a good reason for that. Both buildings began life as Sambo’s restaurants. 09-05
Even with a different menu inside, the former coffee shop still wore its original personality. The blue roofline made it easy to imagine the Sambo’s lettering back in place. Buildings like this show how much effort restaurant chains once put into catching your attention before you reached the parking lot.
UPDATE: China Buffet has closed, and extensive remodeling has hidden much of the building’s former Googie appearance. The structure found another chapter, but the dramatic coffee shop look shown here has largely disappeared. These photographs preserve the curves and glass that made it worth stopping for. 07-26
Waddle's (Gone)
Portland, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
It's hard to ignore a giant sign telling you to "Eat Now at Waddle's." Between the glowing neon, rooftop clock, and unmistakable roadside presence, it was exactly the kind of place that tempted motorists to pull over for a meal. 12-06
Waddle's coffee shop opened in 1945 and became one of Portland's best-known coffee shops. The sleek mid-century building, designed by noted architect Pietro Belluschi, matched the futuristic look of the sign and made the restaurant a true roadside landmark for generations of travelers heading through Jantzen Beach.
Waddle's (Gone)
Portland, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
For decades, the giant sign did exactly what it was intended to do. Long before GPS and smartphones, it reached out to passing motorists with a simple invitation to stop for a meal. Whether you were headed into Portland or just passing through, it was one of those landmarks that let you know exactly where you were.
UPDATE: Waddle's closed in 2004, and the building has since been home to Hooters and, more recently, JayBee's Chicken Palace. Although the original sign structure still stands, it has been altered over the years and no longer has the same look that made it famous.
Waddle's
Portland, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
I still remember driving up and down the highway several times, trying to capture the perfect photo of the giant "Eat Now at Waddle's" sign before finally pulling into the parking lot. When Hooters arrived, I found myself repeating the same routine, photographing the changes and realizing another familiar roadside landmark was entering a new chapter. Looking back, I'm glad I made those extra passes. They preserved a little piece of roadside history that has continued to evolve over the years. I'll be sharing more photos soon, including several from the Hooters era. 07-26
Pancake Chef
Seattle, WA Photo courtesy Jim Zahniser
The smiling chef above The Pancake Chef has been giving hungry motorists a reason to turn off old Highway 99 for decades. Near Sea-Tac Airport, the colorful sign and classic coffee shop make a welcome combination, especially when breakfast sounds better than another airport line. 01-08
The restaurant opened on July 4, 1959, as part of the Clark’s restaurant chain. Its booths and familiar roadside atmosphere became part of the attraction, along with specialties such as the oven baked German pancake. This is the sort of place where the building and sign deserve a look before you open the menu.
UPDATE: The Pancake Chef briefly closed in September 2025 following its longtime owner’s retirement, then reopened under restaurateur Sarbit Singh. The familiar name and roadside sign survive, giving another generation a chance to stop beneath that cheerful chef. 07-26
Hi-Ho Restaurant (Gone)
Grants Pass, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Hi-Ho Restaurant had the kind of towering sign that deserved another pass with the camera. A miner and lumberjack helped advertise “Cakes, Steaks and Shakes,” making this considerably more entertaining than the usual restaurant directory. Originally filed here under Grants Pass, this roadside stop was actually in Roseburg. 11-20
Built in 1964, the Hi-Ho belonged to the era when coffee shops used dramatic architecture and oversized signs to attract motorists. The building rose near the epicenter of the devastating 1959 Roseburg blast, becoming part of the commercial rebuilding that followed.
UPDATE: The Hi-Ho closed in 2002 following owner John Hokanson’s retirement. The former restaurant building survived for another use, but the spectacular roadside sign was removed. Photos like this preserve the display that once made a meal at the Hi-Ho look like an attraction in itself. 07-26
Aurora Coffee Shop (Closed)
China Buffet (Closed)
Pancake Chef
Hi-Ho Restaurant (Gone)
