“A day in the life of some people is more interesting than a month in the life of others.” I know one whose life is interesting like that, since her mind twists differently from the clock work of most others. She sees things from angles so diverse.
I am sure that this hypothesis is true. Pictured here is a wonderful Laurel icon that was, for many years, the focus of attention for anyone between the ages of 15 to 19. Most all just drove around & around because that proved that we had a driver’s license & Dad’s car. Mostly, we wanted to see who else was driving round & round. Can you name the place?
Here is a hint: One bought great food there, the kind of food someone with a new driver’s license & the need to drive around & around in circles likes to eat. The menu was advertised on a board at the window. My favorite, the one listed first was, & still is, the “#1”. Hummm.. It’s the perfect hamburger, in my opinion. Soft, warm bun, small flavorful patty with accompaniments limited to Mustard, Ketchup, Pickle, & Onion. Never more, never less! These accessories were listed under the menu item on the board in abbreviated format to conserve on the little letters it takes to make up the sign; each one different from the other. Here is first and last:
#1
MuKePiOn
#6
ChiCheMuKePiOn
Do you get that? Ok, add chili & cheese. That is my wife’s favorite, the #6; just so you know, but she’s the spicey kind.
Like I said, some people see different things. The particular person in this story, well, she’s really different from the rest of us. Even her siblings think she might be from Mars, maybe Heidelberg. She’s too young to remember the hay day of this “Place du Cuisine Popular”. I don’t even know if they let her drive early, but that is departing from the story.
We told her of the place & the magical quality of the food. We told her about the # 1 and #4 too. We went on & on about the place, the food, & fun of being there with our buddies in the old days & how the place remains good, yet more obscure in these days of “Burger City”.
One day she decided to take a friend on an adventure to this off the beaten path food capital. They pulled up to the drive-in window, parked, and turned to the menu board. There she saw the #1, MuKePiOn.
“Oh No!”, she cried, “The place had changed to a Chinese restaurant.”
See what I mean? I do love the oblique views.
Most likely some of you have a memory of something that happened here. Tell us about it.
January 28th, 2010 at 9:07 am
PDI in 1959
January 28th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Philips Drive IN?? or PDI’s as most call it???
interesting photo…
January 28th, 2010 at 10:26 am
forgot the year,,guessing early 50’s..i believe PDI’s opened in ‘47…
January 28th, 2010 at 11:49 am
At the time of this picture it was Dairy Queen, now its Phillips Drive Inn. About 1949. Mr Phillips lost his Dairy Queen franchise because he sold hamburgers which was against franchisee rules. DQ was required to sell only dairy products. (Now DQ sells burgers daily.
January 29th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
I like this response from some pretty bright folks. So far, Linda was first but had the wrong year. You all got the place, the year, however, is not specific. Name a year…….
It was curious timing that the news reported last week, as this Blog was about to come out, that Phillips family lost some members in that murder down on the Coast. I hated to see that since, all of them were so nice at the windows.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Phillips Drive In (PDI) in 1952. Looks like the picture was taken from the top of the old Reliance Manufacturing Company (the shirt factory).
January 29th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Phillips Drive Inn (PDI) in 1952. Looks like it was taken from the top of Reliance Manufacturing (the old shirt factory).
January 30th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Dairy Queen 1950
February 5th, 2010 at 10:21 am
PDI, 1952
February 16th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Congratulations Louise…….you got the year and place. PDI ‘52. Give me a call or send e-mail, and I will get your prize to you.
Thank you all for your participation and comments. Phillips remains a great place for a wonderful old time hamburger. It is a joy to dirve over and get one still.
April 29th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Chris,
The Jones Co icon pictured in Real Estate Spotlight is Pinhurst Hotel/Arabian Theater. The year the pic was taken is little trickier. Cars look like early 60’s. I’ll say 1960. Now, bring me my bottle of Australian wine.
April 29th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
The picture is of the Pinehurst hotel across from City Hall.
April 29th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
the photo is the Pinehurst 1970’s
April 30th, 2010 at 8:35 am
The picture shown in the recent Spotlight is the Pinehurst Hotel before it was demolished showing the Arabian Theatre marquee. Parking is also shown across the stree for City Hall. To the north of the hotel is parking for First United Methodist Church. Isn’t a shame that such a structure was torn down in downtown Laurel and it could not have been renovated for residential apartment dwellings, etc.