Tee Pee Restaurant (Demolished) Cherokee, NC Photo courtesy Kevin Powers
A giant teepee isn't something you expect to find in the Smoky Mountains, which is exactly what made the Tee
Pee Restaurant so hard to pass by. Sitting just outside the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee, this unusual roadside stop welcomed hungry travelers with one of the more memorable buildings along the highway. According to Kevin Powers' photo, the restaurant was still serving customers in 1998.
The oversized teepee was built to catch the attention of vacationers heading through the mountains, and for years it did exactly that. Postcards often paired it with the nearby Indian Museum, making the two a familiar sight for visitors exploring Cherokee. Whether you stopped for a meal or simply slowed down for a better look, it was one of those places that made the drive a little more interesting.
UPDATE: The teepee restaurant is gone today. The property was demolished and replaced by a hotel, leaving only old photographs and postcards to remind travelers what once stood along the road. 08-26
Country's Barbecue
Columbus, GA Photo courtesy Kevin Powers
One look at the old neon sign and it's easy to tell this place had another life before the barbecue took over. Country's Barbecue in Columbus still wears much of its bus station past proudly, right down to the vintage sign with its glowing "Air Conditioned" lettering near the bottom. It makes for one of the more unusual barbecue stops you'll find anywhere.
The building began life in the late 1930s as a Greyhound bus station and later also served Trailways after Greyhound moved to a new depot in 1956. It was headed for demolition before Country's stepped in and gave it a new purpose in 1988. Be sure to take a look at the vintage bus parked alongside the restaurant. A doorway connects it to the dining room, so you can actually enjoy your barbecue while sitting inside a classic 1940s coach. That's not something you run across every day.
UPDATE: Country's on Broad is still serving barbecue from the beautifully restored former bus station, and the old neon sign continues to welcome travelers along Broadway. 08-26
Nelva Restaurant (Demolished)
Meridian, MS Photo courtesy Tony Craig
That smiling chef out front is enough to make just about anyone think about stopping. Add in the bold rooftop sign and the clean mid-century styling, and Nelva Restaurant was the kind of place that demanded a second look from the highway. Between the rooftop pillar, the big letters running down the side of the building, and the cheerful marquee, there wasn't much chance of driving past without noticing it.
The restaurant sat alongside the Nelva Courts motel on Meridian's busy bypass, making it a natural stop for travelers heading across Mississippi. Whether you were checking in for the night or just looking for a good meal before getting back on the road, everything you needed was right here. The menu even featured house specialties with names like "Chic-steaks" and "Double-Goods," adding a little personality to an already memorable roadside stop. It all had that unmistakable look of a place built for the family vacation years, when signs were bold, buildings were colorful, and the next interesting stop was never too far down the highway.
Nelva Restaurant lettering
Meridian, MS Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The marquee is what really steals the show in this photo. That happy chef seems to be inviting everyone inside, while the rooftop sign helps make sure you don't miss the place from either direction. It's easy to imagine the neon lighting up after dark and welcoming another evening crowd of hungry travelers.
UPDATE: The Nelva Restaurant and adjoining motel have both been demolished. The site has been redeveloped with a Holiday Inn, and the familiar chef sign, rooftop pillar, and distinctive mid-century building are no longer there. 08-26
Piggy Park BBQ
Columbia, SC Photo courtesy Tony Craig
That big smiling pig is just about impossible to miss. Standing high above the highway, the sign for Piggy Park BBQ has been tempting hungry motorists for generations with a friendly wave and the promise of barbecue just ahead. If you're passing through the Columbia area, it's the kind of sign that practically makes the decision for you.
The West Columbia location opened in 1953 and quickly became one of the area's best-known roadside landmarks. While plenty of folks stop for the barbecue, the sign is every bit as memorable as what's on the menu. Look closely and you'll spot "Little Joe," the cheerful pig who has greeted travelers for decades. The name also belongs to one of the restaurant's signature barbecue sandwiches, making the mascot a familiar face to generations of regular customers.
Like so many classic roadside restaurants, Piggy Park was built to catch the eye from a moving car. The oversized sign, the low-slung building, and the unmistakable pig all work together to make it one of those places that's hard to forget once you've driven by. Even if you're not hungry yet, you just might be by the time you reach the parking lot.
UPDATE: The flagship Piggy Park remains open after recent renovations, and the famous pig sign continues welcoming travelers along Charleston Highway. 08-26
House of Lee (Demolished)
New Orleans, LA Photo courtesy Devil Doll
New Orleans may be known for gumbo and jambalaya, but this rooftop sign was making a pretty good case for Chinese food. The giant House of Lee sign, proudly advertising "Cantonese Chinese Food," stood high above Veterans Memorial Boulevard with a large clock built right into it. Between the bright lettering and the unusual design, it was one of those signs that practically begged for a second look.
For years, House of Lee was a popular stop for locals and visitors looking for something a little different from the city's famous Cajun and Creole cooking. The restaurant earned a reputation for its Cantonese favorites, and its eye-catching rooftop sign became just as well known as the food inside. If you happened to glance up while driving by, chances are you also checked the time before continuing down the road.
UPDATE: House of Lee closed after the property was sold in 1995. The building was demolished the following year, and the famous rooftop sign with its built-in clock disappeared with it. 08-26
Rogers Restaurant (Demolished)
Lexington, KY Photo courtesy Devil Doll
If you're wondering what's for dinner, the big marquee out front had the answer. Rogers Restaurant kept things simple by listing the day's specials where everyone driving down South Broadway could see them. Between the oversized sign and the familiar restaurant building behind it, this was one of those local landmarks that became part of the daily routine for generations of Lexington drivers.
George Rogers opened the restaurant in 1923, and after moving to this South Broadway location in 1965, it became a favorite stop for home-style Southern cooking. Country ham was one of the house specialties, and plenty of regulars knew exactly what they were ordering before they even walked through the door. Even if you weren't planning to stop, the changing marquee was always worth a quick look as you drove by.
UPDATE: Rogers Restaurant closed in 2004 after serving Lexington for 81 years. The building was later demolished, and the familiar marquee is gone. 08-26
Nelva Restaurant (Demolished)
Nelva Restaurant lettering
Piggy Park BBQ
House of Lee (Demolished)
Rogers Restaurant (Demolished)
