This has one of the more interesting discussions in quite a while. Go read the comments.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 6:30 am and is filed under Peoria, West Bluff.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
The building says “Drive In” on the front, which I could never figure out, other than it being a clever name way back when.
Location is awesome, as John stated, with Mister G’s across the street…. mmmm I could really go for a Mister G’s Chicago Dog, or Chicken Deluxe sandwhich with twice (sometimes 3x depending on when you get there) dipped fries (and a couple shocks from a defib)…. mmmm delicious
I asked my mom about this one time, since she lived in an apartment near Steak n’ Shake when my parents first got married.
She said it was a drive in beauty parlor!
The following are for the “south side” of what is now the 600 block of West Main, which used to be the 1400 block of Main, from Ellis to Sheridan. Also note that address numbers for the 600 block are even, while the 1400 block are odd.
—–
Jan, 1939 Illinois Bell Telephone Book:
1401 Drive-In Beauty Shop, Orville O Hanchett Mgr
1425 Cohen, J & Son Automobile Service Station
—–
April, 1949 Illinois Bell Telephone Book:
1401 Drive-In Beauty Salon (see copy of ad at end of post)
1407 Drive-In Launder-Rite, rear (see copy of ad at end of post)
1425 Cohen, J & Son Automobile Service Station
—–
September, 1959 Illinois Bell Telephone Book:
606 Drive-In Beauty Salon “Choice of smart women for 24 years”
610 Mueller John Co Television Dealer and Service
614 Drive-In Launder-Rite, Self-Service Laundry
640 Cohen & Son Service Station
—–
1960 Polk City Directory: (I only have part of this book.)
604 Smith Apartments (W J Moran Estate)
606 Drive In Beauty Salon (Orville Hatchett)
610 Mueller, John A radio & television sales
614 Launder Rite (Edw W Smothers) lndry self serv
—–
1965 Polk City Directory:
600 Vacant
602 Vacant
604 Smith Apartments 1-8 Vacant
606 Drive-In Beauty Salon
610 Mueller, John Co, Inc Radio & TV Sales
612 Moran Estate
614 No Return
616-618 Both Vacant
640 Cohen J & Son (Br) Gasoline Station
—–
1965 Polk City Directory:
600 Vacant – Rear is Butler Industrial Equipment Co
602 Credit Thrift of America
604 Smith Apartments 1-8 (all occupied with names given)
606 Drive-In Beauty Salon and Mueller Electronics Co Inc
610 Peoria Accounts Service Collns and in rear Tee Tee’s Off Main Tavern
612 Moran Estate
616 Belle & Beau Shoppe, Ready To Wear
618 Eden’s Taco House
640 Cohen J & Son Gasoline Station
—–
Ads in the 1949 Bell phone book:
Drive-In Beauty Salon
“We Welcome Newcomers”
8 Professional Cosmetologists
Including Men Stylists
Air Conditioned With Filtered Air
Free Parking Lot
Orville O Hanchett, Prop.
1405 Main 3-5187
—–
Drive-In Launder-Rite
Your Laundry Done
Automatically While You Wait
Sale – Sanitary – Economical – Drying Service
Available At Small Additional Cost
Ample Parking Space
“Rear”
1407 Main 4-0702
—–
Note – city directories have listings for each street and block, while phone books only have alpha or business type listings, which is why I found more in the city directories.
According to Jim & Nilah R., current owners of the Basket Case, It was the Drive In Beauty Shop.
Other items that might jog some memories:
The large parking lot behind this building was known as the Main Street Arena in the 1930s. It used to be filled with bleachers which surrounded a roped fighting ring. Wrestlers and pugilists (boxers) would perform.
Jim and Nilah remember tearing down an old shed in back that participants used to change clothes in.
Part of the front of this building housed Jonnie’s Steakhouse in the 50’s. Nilah remembers walking by it every day on the way back and forth from Methodist Hospital to Nursing School at Bradley University fro’m 54 to’57.
As an aside, the Basket Case was originally named T.G’s. on Main in 30’s/40s, followed by the Brave Bull, then it became Checkmate around the 70’s. It has been the Basket Case for 23 years since 1986.
JW, downtown. I am curious about the history of the Big Al’s building. Working there, we hear all kinds of stories about what it supposedly used to be. And I really am interested in the history in general.
January, 1939 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – no listing under taverns or restaurants
April, 1949 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – no listing under taverns or restaurants
September, 1959 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – 120 Club tavern (In the 1949 phone book, the 120 Club is at 120 S Madison)
1965 Polk City Directory – Chances R Lounge Tavern, Robert L Ryno
Robert L Ryno (Virginia M), home on N Knoxville
1968 Polk City Directory – Walt’s Downtown Lounge Tavern, Walter L Sleva
Walter L Sleva (Eleanore), home on E Arcadia
October, 1975 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – Big Al’s
If you want to seriously trace the address back, I suggest you go to the downtown library and look thru the Polk Directories year by year. You could also go to the Courthouse and do a property search, but I think they charge for that.
The property inquestion was indeed the Drive-In beauty salon for many years. Next to the salon was Payless Beauty supply. I rented the salon property in 1978 and remodeled it and opened Image Designs Hair Salon. It was subsequently owned by various others and seemed to stop being a business about 2 years ago.
The property originally housed a restaurant..” Stevies Latin Village”…a very nice upscale reastuarant and piano bar. I remember being in there when I was a teenager. It burned down(not sure of the exact date. and then the other businesses were developed. The oldest business in the building is the bar. It has changed names several times and am not sure what it is cvalled now. The property was ownec by Mr Moran who owned alot of realty in Peoria…and he had his office right at the wesst side corner of the building in the front. Hope that gives a little more history of the building.
September 10th, 2009 at 9:42 am
The building on Main Street across from Mister G’s. Apartments on second floor, no current businesses on first floor. It’s next to the Basket Case.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:16 am
The building says “Drive In” on the front, which I could never figure out, other than it being a clever name way back when.
Location is awesome, as John stated, with Mister G’s across the street…. mmmm I could really go for a Mister G’s Chicago Dog, or Chicken Deluxe sandwhich with twice (sometimes 3x depending on when you get there) dipped fries (and a couple shocks from a defib)…. mmmm delicious
September 10th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I asked my mom about this one time, since she lived in an apartment near Steak n’ Shake when my parents first got married.
She said it was a drive in beauty parlor!
September 10th, 2009 at 11:57 am
A drive in beauty parlor? Interesting concept, but I’m having trouble envisioning how that would work.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
OK, to be more exact, she may have said it was THE Drive-In beauty parlor, not A drive-in beauty parlor
September 10th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
If anyone knows the exact address, I might be able to figure out what it was at different times in the good old days.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I believe it was a auto repair shop eons ago
September 11th, 2009 at 7:06 am
My good friend lived in a apartment in that building for a few years, very cool apts
September 11th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Address is 600 W. Main Street.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
The following are for the “south side” of what is now the 600 block of West Main, which used to be the 1400 block of Main, from Ellis to Sheridan. Also note that address numbers for the 600 block are even, while the 1400 block are odd.
—–
Jan, 1939 Illinois Bell Telephone Book:
1401 Drive-In Beauty Shop, Orville O Hanchett Mgr
1425 Cohen, J & Son Automobile Service Station
—–
April, 1949 Illinois Bell Telephone Book:
1401 Drive-In Beauty Salon (see copy of ad at end of post)
1407 Drive-In Launder-Rite, rear (see copy of ad at end of post)
1425 Cohen, J & Son Automobile Service Station
—–
September, 1959 Illinois Bell Telephone Book:
606 Drive-In Beauty Salon “Choice of smart women for 24 years”
610 Mueller John Co Television Dealer and Service
614 Drive-In Launder-Rite, Self-Service Laundry
640 Cohen & Son Service Station
—–
1960 Polk City Directory: (I only have part of this book.)
604 Smith Apartments (W J Moran Estate)
606 Drive In Beauty Salon (Orville Hatchett)
610 Mueller, John A radio & television sales
614 Launder Rite (Edw W Smothers) lndry self serv
—–
1965 Polk City Directory:
600 Vacant
602 Vacant
604 Smith Apartments 1-8 Vacant
606 Drive-In Beauty Salon
610 Mueller, John Co, Inc Radio & TV Sales
612 Moran Estate
614 No Return
616-618 Both Vacant
640 Cohen J & Son (Br) Gasoline Station
—–
1965 Polk City Directory:
600 Vacant – Rear is Butler Industrial Equipment Co
602 Credit Thrift of America
604 Smith Apartments 1-8 (all occupied with names given)
606 Drive-In Beauty Salon and Mueller Electronics Co Inc
610 Peoria Accounts Service Collns and in rear Tee Tee’s Off Main Tavern
612 Moran Estate
616 Belle & Beau Shoppe, Ready To Wear
618 Eden’s Taco House
640 Cohen J & Son Gasoline Station
—–
Ads in the 1949 Bell phone book:
Drive-In Beauty Salon
“We Welcome Newcomers”
8 Professional Cosmetologists
Including Men Stylists
Air Conditioned With Filtered Air
Free Parking Lot
Orville O Hanchett, Prop.
1405 Main 3-5187
—–
Drive-In Launder-Rite
Your Laundry Done
Automatically While You Wait
Sale – Sanitary – Economical – Drying Service
Available At Small Additional Cost
Ample Parking Space
“Rear”
1407 Main 4-0702
—–
Note – city directories have listings for each street and block, while phone books only have alpha or business type listings, which is why I found more in the city directories.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Argh – the ad copy for the Drive-In Launder-Rite, fourth line should say “Safe” not “Sale”.
September 12th, 2009 at 10:08 am
I fixed it for you JW.
September 14th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
According to Jim & Nilah R., current owners of the Basket Case, It was the Drive In Beauty Shop.
Other items that might jog some memories:
The large parking lot behind this building was known as the Main Street Arena in the 1930s. It used to be filled with bleachers which surrounded a roped fighting ring. Wrestlers and pugilists (boxers) would perform.
Jim and Nilah remember tearing down an old shed in back that participants used to change clothes in.
Part of the front of this building housed Jonnie’s Steakhouse in the 50’s. Nilah remembers walking by it every day on the way back and forth from Methodist Hospital to Nursing School at Bradley University fro’m 54 to’57.
As an aside, the Basket Case was originally named T.G’s. on Main in 30’s/40s, followed by the Brave Bull, then it became Checkmate around the 70’s. It has been the Basket Case for 23 years since 1986.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Good info! I guess in the 1930’s it must have been a novelty to DRIVE to a beauty salon.
I always liked the art-deco front of that building.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
JW, how do you get this info? Just wondering if you could do it (or tell me how) for another building on Main St. 519 to be exact.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Mary,
519 Main (downtown) or W Main?
I have all those books that I referenced above.
September 19th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
JW, downtown. I am curious about the history of the Big Al’s building. Working there, we hear all kinds of stories about what it supposedly used to be. And I really am interested in the history in general.
September 20th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Mary, et al….
519 Main Street, downtown Peoria:
January, 1939 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – no listing under taverns or restaurants
April, 1949 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – no listing under taverns or restaurants
September, 1959 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – 120 Club tavern (In the 1949 phone book, the 120 Club is at 120 S Madison)
1965 Polk City Directory – Chances R Lounge Tavern, Robert L Ryno
Robert L Ryno (Virginia M), home on N Knoxville
1968 Polk City Directory – Walt’s Downtown Lounge Tavern, Walter L Sleva
Walter L Sleva (Eleanore), home on E Arcadia
October, 1975 Illinois Bell Telephone Book – Big Al’s
If you want to seriously trace the address back, I suggest you go to the downtown library and look thru the Polk Directories year by year. You could also go to the Courthouse and do a property search, but I think they charge for that.
September 20th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Thanks, JW
October 21st, 2009 at 9:41 pm
The property inquestion was indeed the Drive-In beauty salon for many years. Next to the salon was Payless Beauty supply. I rented the salon property in 1978 and remodeled it and opened Image Designs Hair Salon. It was subsequently owned by various others and seemed to stop being a business about 2 years ago.
The property originally housed a restaurant..” Stevies Latin Village”…a very nice upscale reastuarant and piano bar. I remember being in there when I was a teenager. It burned down(not sure of the exact date. and then the other businesses were developed. The oldest business in the building is the bar. It has changed names several times and am not sure what it is cvalled now. The property was ownec by Mr Moran who owned alot of realty in Peoria…and he had his office right at the wesst side corner of the building in the front. Hope that gives a little more history of the building.