Welcome to the Lendy's
Web Page, part 1.
Welcome to the Lendy's
Web Page, part 1.
Featuring Salem and Roanoke Va.'s most FAMOUS restaurant chain.
Do you remember
the Splendy?
How about the
TeleTrays?
Just what WAS going on in that booth
on top of
the Apperson Dr. location? What happened to
Big
Boy? And
how come Kentucky
Fried Chicken
was sold there? Remember the Bucket
of Shrimp,
Buddy
Boys,
Longfellas,
Brawny
Lads,
REAL onion
rings?
click on image for today
The Apperson Drive Lendy's (Lee-Hi) 1962
This was the first Lendy's location. The parking spaces were equipped with TeleTrays, and later a canopy was added. You can see the radio broadcast booth on the roof where D.J.'s played rock and roll on the weekends. CLICK HERE for a large image.
LISTEN
to a Lendy's ad from April, 1966 featuring WROV's Jim
Carroll.
Hawaiian Ham? That was one of the ingredients on a Longfella. The strawberries in the strawberry pie were the biggest I've ever seen.
click on image for alternate view
Here's the
Franklin Road (Mainliner) restaurant.
Built in 1961, this Lendy's had extremely stylish architecture. There was a large canopied drive-in area to the right and behind. This was a Franklin Road landmark for many years. In the alternate view you can see the Big Boy statue in front.
Another loop. From Franklin Rd. Lendy's to Boxley Hills Lendy's and
back.
click on image for alternate view
This was the Lendy's on Ward's Rd. in Lynchburg.
It just might have been the snazziest Lendy's of them all. There were dual canopies on the left and right of the building for the drive-ins. It was torn down several years ago after being stripped of its canopies, and becoming an Arby's. A Taco Bell now
stands
AT THE SITE.
(Ward's Rd and Candler's Mt. Rd) .
click on image for today
This was the
Lendy's
in Madison
Heights'
Seminole
Shopping Center.
New in September of 1963, it was a
round building with a unique roller coaster canopy over the TeleTrays for drive-in service. The building is still standing and you may find it if you're feeling a yen for Mexican! CLICK HERE
for a closer look.
click on menu for viewing
This interior shot from
March
'64, shows the circular styling of the restaurant. Notice the telephones at the counter and tables for ordering via the Dine-A-Phone system.
Back then, Kentucky Fried Chicken was sold in
this area exclusively by Lendy's through a franchise agreement. Colonel Sanders is seen here greeting customers at the Melrose "take home" shoppe sometime in 1963. Seen behind the counter are (l to r), employees Marion Wells and Zella Estep.
click on image for Melrose bucket sign
Col.
Harland Sanders "In
Person". He often stayed with Lendy's founder Leonard Goldstein &
family while visiting Roanoke.
click on image for more
This was the
Lakeside
Yoda's / Lendy's
Located directly across from Lakeside Amusement Park in Salem. It was originally a Yoda's*, and later became a Lendy's. There was a large canopied lot at the rear for drive-in's. A popular place. You could watch Lakeside's 'Sky Tram' across the street.
*see page 2 for more on Yoda's.
click on image for today
The Vinton Lendy's
Almost complete here, the Lendy's in Vinton would become a popular spot. It was located just down the road from the Dixie Drive-In Theater. There was a canopied drive in service area to the right for twelve cars.
click on image for today
Lendy's Cafe
On Williamson Rd. near 10th Street. Not a regular Lendy's, it specialized in steaks and roast beef sandwiches. Shortly afterward it was renamed the Gold Nugget, and remained that until it closed. It featured the first Salad Bar in the area, a new idea at the time.
The Lendy's drive-ins were extremely popular with the teens, and so became somewhat the turf of the closest high schools.
Lendy's high school territories:
Franklin Rd. -------- Cave Spring, Patrick Henry and Jefferson
Williamson Rd. ---- William Fleming and Northside
Apperson Dr. (Lee Hwy.) ----------------- Andrew Lewis/some Cave Spring
Melrose ----------- Northside and Glenvar, some Lewis
Photographs Courtesy Leonard Goldstein
Ad's Courtesy Pat Dotson (Pat's Cafe)
Radio & TV Ads Courtesy Tommy Holcomb
Graphic Assistance, Kipp Teague
This Web Site Created By Twig Gravely
