Kewanee Sandy's opened in 1965. It opened with much excitement on the main highway on the southern edge of town. Kewanee was most likely thought of as too small in the early years of the drive-in franchise but now was a welcome addition to the community and quickly became a popular place to visit. Today, August 2004, the building itself still stands and houses La Gondola restaurant, maintaining the strong food establishment foundation laid by Sandy's some thirty-six years ago. When Kewanee Sandy's turned into Hardees, they later eventually moved rather than tearing the building down, thankfully leaving it preserved now some three decades later.
Here is a picture of Kewanee Sandy's today. The first picture is a shot from the back and it shows a unique view of the back roof facade taken off. The view of the picture appears that Sandy's had changed into the new Sandy's concept building or perhaps Hardees when it took over Sandy's, changed into the building. The walk up drive-in building itself is most likely still within the building shown here, however it has been build around and is no longer recognizable as the classic it once was.
The following color picture was found among the previous four black and white photos and appears to be an unknown Sandy's location. Its roof fins are clearly shorter and the upper glass above the winter frontage doors is also missing. The picture is dated July 1974 so it was most likely a franchisee who did not immediately turn into Hardees in 1972 with the majority of the corporation. Other Sandy's were successfully operating at the same time as well such as Muscatine, Iowa which did not switch until 1976 or 1977 and Peoria, Illinois which was open at least until 1974. This is an excellent picture providing the color scheme as well as showing a Sandy's late in the existance of the franchise, still with the classic fins and possibly no indoor seating. The classic architecture of the walk up drive-in can clearly be seen as it has only been enclosed by the winter cover (the glass doors).
Ruth Aldridge is a Sandy's fan & she remembers how fantastic it was!
Just wanted to tell you I lived in Kewanee when Sandy's was going strong. They were the best hamburgers ever. Fast food today just doesn’t taste like it did then. Specially down here in Texas. Nothing can beat the corn fed beef of Illinois.
My son lives in Moline and he sent me Bill Wundrum's column about Sandy's. It brought back good memories. Ruth Aldridge Texas