 Little Pancake Inn
Tampa, FL
Photo courtesy John V Cinchett
The Little Pancake Inn, pictured in 1968, was an old breakfast place on East Hillsborough Ave in Tampa. This was one of my father's neat neon creations. The neon chef is flipping pancakes over the doghouse to a hungry pup!
This sign was made by Cinchett Neon Signs during the 1950s. Many thanks to John V Cinchett for info. 07-09
The tall arrow-shaped sign was impossible to miss along East Hillsborough Avenue. Rising above the traffic, Little Pancake Inn welcomed hungry motorists with a glowing neon invitation that promised breakfast was just ahead.
Although little is known about the restaurant's early history, it was a familiar roadside stop during Tampa's mid-century years. A 1968 photograph captures the diner at its peak, complete with its distinctive neon sign and classic coffee-shop look. It was the kind of place where locals could start the day with pancakes, eggs, and a hot cup of coffee before heading off to work or continuing down the highway.
Like so many independent roadside diners, the Little Pancake Inn eventually disappeared as Tampa grew and changed. The building was demolished, and the colorful sign that once pointed the way is gone as well.
Today, only old photographs recall this forgotten breakfast stop. For anyone who remembers driving Hillsborough Avenue in the 1950s and 1960s, the sight of that towering neon arrow is enough to bring back memories of a simpler roadside era. |
