Robert Delius is a contributor to this site and hit a grand slam by first discovering several unknown Sandy's locations and second by providing this picture of Sandy's in Largo, Florida. Largo, which is next to Clearwater and Tampa, opened most likely in 1965 just before its twin sibling at 2514 w Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, Florida. As you can see in the picture, the location is surrounded by glass which is known as the winter cover. Sandy's was changing at this time from a walk-up drive-in to a walk-in sit down and eat restaurant. This was needed due to days of inclimate weather as well as the fact that Sandy's competition was heading this way as well. Unfortunately, the charm of the original fins jutting from the roof was slowly disappearing but still evident in the picture!
Sandy's had five known Florida locations, one in St. Petersburg, two in Pensacola and two in the Tampa area which includes Largo. Special thanks again to Robert Delius for providing this picture of Sandy's Largo location!
UPDATE!!!! 11/29/05!!!! Robby Delius joins the legends club on this website! Not only did he find an original advertisement for the Sandy's Largo location, he also found the original building and pictures from the 1960's!!!!!
Every original Sandy's classic building had two sections. The front section was for serving and the back section was used for food preparation. Robby found the original location, which is now a U-HAUL center, sadly appearing as if Sandy's original classic building was completely leveled. At this point there appears to be absolutely no evidence pointing to the incredible fast food drive-in that it once was.
Robby continued to do some incredible detective work, snapping pictures of the back of the building which, again, appears to have no resemblance what so ever of the original Sandy's. Only someone with a keen eye and great visual imagination would even dare to think that this back end of the building just might resemble the original Sandy's!
All appears to be lost, however, Robert Delius would not be denied!!! Robert discovered that this is the back of the original Sandy's building, only now it is added onto! To prove it, he found the original Sandy's tile on the exterior side wall. Robby has found the Sandy's Largo location, lost for over three decades!!! LARGO, FLORIDA SANDY'S LIVES! THE PLAID BLEEDS THROUGH!!!!!!!!!
Incredible! The original Sandy's plaid will not be denied, revealing itself for the first time in what is now almost four decades!
Robby explains...Having passed the building many times over the years, I thought that there was nothing left. I saw the tiles and thought perhaps there was a remnant of Sandy's after all! I did not see the plaid until I went back the next day for close-ups.
I could not see any of the original classic Sandy's beams through the windows. Unfortunately, I ran out of time to find out what followed Sandy's . The brick work resembles Hardees but I could not find a Hardees in the 1974 directory.
Could this possibly be enough? What could equal the finding of the original Largo Sandy's? How about a couple of stellar pictures of Largo Sandy's circa 1969! Check out the Sandy's trademark wrapper on the burgers in the first picture along with the Sandy's cup, hat and an incredibly fantastic close-up of the menuboard! To the left it reads "ASK FOR YOUR TRICK OR TREAT STARTER KIT". A feature to the right appears to be a scoreboard for the local high school football Clearwater Tornadoes! It appears to show the weekly friday night football game, this time the Tornadoes had scored 19 points and the opponents score is behind the Sandy's waiter's hat! Also note the wooden straw dispenser on the right hand side. These were made of wood and had a twirler on each side which allowed you to drop a straw into the catcher near the bottom of the dispenser. No need for straw covers here folks!
Notice the Sandy's large size cup along with what appears to be a serving tray which may be holding a burger!
Congratulations and a huge thank you to Robby Delius who worked on Largo Sandy's for months during 2005 to obtain these shots! Absolutely fantastic!!! Robert also provided a scan of a Sandy's ad which ran in the local newspaper. What a tremendous offer it is too! It is the most popular (even to this day) Sandy's promotional item... the Sandy's glass, along with a shake, for only 10¢!!!! INCREDIBLE!
01/23/06 Sandy's fan Gaylynne fondly remembers this Sandy's!
My family and I moved from ironically enough Peoria, Illinois, the birthplace of Sandy's I have learned.
There was Sandy's on Missouri Ave in Clearwater just behind Cleveland Plaza where there was a Publix. When Sandy's left the building became a Hertz rental place.
I remember you could eat inside and it had high tables with ice cream parlor chairs that were also high. I was 6 at the time. We came there chiefly for the Pork tenderloins. My mom loved those sandwiches from living in Peoria and getting them at a neighborhood Sandy's restaurant.
As a kid I really liked the Scottish little lady logo and I remember them giving me a plaid paper burger joint hat! We also had a Burger Chef, a Big Boy and before the Big Boy an A&W drive-in. We still have a Biff burger in St. Petersburg on I think 38th.
I miss Sandy's delicious pork tenderloins!
Gaylynne
Largo,FL
If you have any memorabilia, pictures or stories of Sandy's in Largo, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Florida or elsewhere, please email me!