18 replies to this topic

[rich]

Would anyone have a picture and information on Sandy's Drive-In in Fort Worth for the Sandy's website www.captainerniesshowboat.com/sandys? I believe that the address was 1300 W. Seminary. I believe that it opened in 1964 and I know it was still open in 1968 and was probably open all the way until the early 1970's. One question would be what did it become after it was Sandy's and another would be is the original building still there with the classic Sandy's wooden beam still intact (and if so, could someone provide a current picture of the original building as well). Apparently today the location is Seminary Laundromat. Thanks - Rich

[seurto]

Wow, I hadn't thought of that place in years! If we're on the same page, the building is fronted with large windows; it was a couple of things before it became the laundromat, but to save my life I can't think what. Don't know that I ever ate there. And down the block was Arthur Treacher's fish & chips if I'm not mistaken. It's a Mexican food place now after having gone through enumerable incarnations.

[John T Roberts]

The address of 1300 W. Seminary sounds about right. I believe that after Sandy's closed, it became one of the few locations in Fort Worth for Hardee's. After Hardee's left Fort Worth, it was vacant for some time, and then it was converted into the laundromat. There may have been some other tenants, but those are the ones that I remember the most. When I was a kid, my family used to go there and either eat or do take out. We also frequented the place when it was Hardee's, and I can also remember driving to it under that name. I will see if I have time today to go out and take a photograph of the building.

As for the Fish and Chips Place at the corner of W. Seminary and Henderson, it is now Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, and is one of my favorites in the city. They specialize in Mexican Seafood and their dishes are excellent. It's kind of fitting that this was mentioned because my office went there for lunch on Friday. If you want standard Tex-Mex, their lunch specials are $3.99. The seafood items are not discounted for the specials. One of my co-workers had the garlic catfish and it looked really good. I usually reserve eating seafood there for dinner. I would highly recommend this place.

[rich]

Thanks for the help. For some reason Texas was missing on the final 1973 Sandy's list. Indiana was missing as well so it is interesting to find out that Hardees did indeed take over the location and that Sandy's did not shut down before the Hardees 1973 buy-out of Sandy's. The missing locations which include Waco and Denton Sandy's as well seem to be a typo on the part of whomever made the list (it is a hand typed list).

Sandy's in Fort Worth would have looked something like this -



If the high school kids made it over to Sandy's, they may have placed an ad in the business sponsor section of the yearbooks from 1964 thru 1973.

[John T Roberts]

Here is a photo fresh out of the digital camera of the Sandy's at 1300 W. Seminary Drive here in Fort Worth. This was taken today at lunch.

[rich]

Sandy's

John... unbelievable!!! Thanks so much. How incredible that it still exists and is probably the greatest preserved and untouched of the original first generation Sandy's buildings that still exist. Outstanding! Who would have guessed that Fort Worth Sandy's would go from missing from the final Sandy's list thirty-four years ago to having been found still intact. You didn't even have to go inside to still see the Sandy's beams and the roof fins are still intact & untouched. You can even see where the neon was mounted on the roof. Unreal. By the way, great shot.

They tore the original Sandy's sign down along the way. It looks like the original Sandy's base to the sign & this might have been Hardees sign but I am not 100% sure. - Rich

[John T Roberts]

Rich, after you posted the nighttime photo, I looked at the base of the current sign and thought that could possibly be the original base. I do believe that you are correct in assuming the current sign was the old Hardee's sign with newer plastic faces.

[seurto]

Alas the 15 cent hamburger! And then down Seminary a little further towards Seminary S was "greasy" Griff's Burgers. There may be one of those still in existance somewhere in town.

[texastrill]

Alas the 15 cent hamburger! And then down Seminary a little further towards Seminary S was "greasy" Griff's Burgers. There may be one of those still in existance somewhere in town.

Griffs has a location on Lancaster near Oakland in the Eastside....and one on Belknap close to where the street splits into Hwy.10 and 377.At the Lancaster location(my n'hood Griffs),my cousins from Austin would want to go there and order the "Monster Meal" that includes a three or four meat cheeseburger combo meal.

[Buck]

That's definitely the same Hardee's sign, as I recall.

Never knew Sandy's, but that was a great Hardee's.

I'm always wondered -- which came to Fort Worth first, McDonald's on Lancaster, Mr Quick Hamburgers on Seventh Street, or Griff's Burger Bar?

Mr Quick is now the Enterprise Rent-A-Car -- I've forgotten what the old McDonald's is now -- and of course, there are still plenty of Griff's.

[texastrill]

That's definitely the same Hardee's sign, as I recall.

Never knew Sandy's, but that was a great Hardee's.

I'm always wondered -- which came to Fort Worth first, McDonald's on Lancaster, Mr Quick Hamburgers on Seventh Street, or Griff's Burger Bar?

Mr Quick is now the Enterprise Rent-A-Car -- I've forgotten what the old McDonald's is now -- and of course, there are still plenty of Griff's.

Was the McDonalds on Lancaster your talking about near Oakland Blvd?If so,the old one was tore down and a new,updated one, was built.

[RD Milhollin]

Griffs has a location on Lancaster near Oakland in the Eastside....and one on Belknap close to where the street splits into Hwy.10 and 377.At the Lancaster location(my n'hood Griffs), my cousins from Austin would want to go there and order the "Monster Meal" that includes a three or four meat cheeseburger combo meal.

There is another Griffs on River Oaks Blvd. east of Robert's Cutoff, this in addition to the Lancaster and Haltom City locations.

[krob]

There was also a Griff's on Camp Bowie, where a Wendy's now sits. It was the post-game scene for Heights kids back in the day.

[seurto]

I remember that one now!! There was a Tape Exchange/Palace beside/behind it.

[Giraffe]

I grew up believing it had always been a Hardee's restaurant because of its architecture. Didn't know it had been born as a Sandy's! Never heard of Sandy's before. Hadree's pulled out of Texas completely but still thrives in a good chunk of the rest of the country.

In the 1970s a friend of my brother's worked at that Hardee's on Seminary Drive and told me years after the fact that he was cooking up a batch of french fries there one day when he accidentally deep-fried his fist. His wristwatch slipped off of his wrist and fell into the deep fryer, and without thinking he reached in to grab it. Owwwww!

[lcbrownz]

Hardee's may be long gone but Carl Jrs, (Hardee's owner) are starting to show their ugly little heads in the Metroplex. 

[Herb Jones]

Sandy's

John... unbelievable!!! Thanks so much. How incredible that it still exists and is probably the greatest preserved and untouched of the original first generation Sandy's buildings that still exist. Outstanding! Who would have guessed that Fort Worth Sandy's would go from missing from the final Sandy's list thirty-four years ago to having been found still intact. You didn't even have to go inside to still see the Sandy's beams and the roof fins are still intact & untouched. You can even see where the neon was mounted on the roof. Unreal. By the way, great shot.

They tore the original Sandy's sign down along the way. It looks like the original Sandy's base to the sign & this might have been Hardees sign but I am not 100% sure. - Rich

I spent a lot of time at Sandy's with my  girlfriend later my wife in the late 60's. Cool drive inn .

[Herb Jones]

Sandy's

John... unbelievable!!! Thanks so much. How incredible that it still exists and is probably the greatest preserved and untouched of the original first generation Sandy's buildings that still exist. Outstanding! Who would have guessed that Fort Worth Sandy's would go from missing from the final Sandy's list thirty-four years ago to having been found still intact. You didn't even have to go inside to still see the Sandy's beams and the roof fins are still intact & untouched. You can even see where the neon was mounted on the roof. Unreal. By the way, great shot.

They tore the original Sandy's sign down along the way. It looks like the original Sandy's base to the sign & this might have been Hardees sign but I am not 100% sure. - Rich

[Herb Jones]

Right next door was a Zuider Zee order and take out seafood place in the 60's and it didn't last long as local residents didn't appreciate good seafood.