DRIVE-INS, CRUISIN’, and CAR HOPS

Al Koch
September 2023

During informal discussions with my twenty-first-century students, I mentioned how, as teenagers, we’d go Cruisin’. They were unfamiliar with the term, so I explained. Cruisin’ is what you did with a carload of buddies, usually along the main drag (street) of town.  You’d “cruise” up and down the street, checking out the chicks, comparing cars, and occasionally “peeling out” from a traffic light in a mock drag race to call attention to yourself and impress other cruisers. Admittedly, not brain boggling, but when your part of this scene, intoxicated with adolescent euphoria on the threshold of grown-up responsibilities, life doesn’t get much sweeter.   Like the movie “American Graffiti.” Cruisin’ was one’s apprenticeship to adulthood, a tribute to youthful shenanigans, and innocence’s last call.

Living in the Calumet Region and growing up in Whiting-Robertsdale in the late 40s, 50s and early 60s, cruising’ became an integral part of youthful “coming-of-age “summertime activities.  Throughout Region, communities, there were several drive-in restaurants enticing street-sled pilots and passengers to visit, check out carhops, roadsters, rods, and ragtops, while feasting on a variety of burgers, fries, Pepsi, or Coca-Cola.

Architecturally, Drive-Ins were not glamorous edifices. They were basic geometric variations of rectangles, squares, curved surfaces, glass, and hipped roofed structures featuring a functional design specifically for food preparation and service.  Erected on parcels that offered ample parking, entry, and egress for customers, and constructed adjacent to well-travelled roadways; owners utilized bright colors, neon, lighting, signage, and eye-catching phrases.  Following the cardinal rule of Real Estate, “location” was a key consideration for placement and operation.

A treasured fringe benefit of drive-ins, unknown at the time, was they became the contemporary version of the General Store.  Patrons could socialize, commiserate, exchange the latest gossip about what was happening, who was doing what with whom—and how often, and, most importantly, showcase their chrome and polished piston-driven chariots. 

On any given evening, guys would assemble around 6:00 pm, at their chosen cruising headquarters and map out adventures. (Prime time cruising was 7:00 pm to 1:00 am.)  In Whiting, Indiana, Art’s Drive-In, at the intersection of Indianapolis Boulevard and Calumet Avenue, commonly known as Five-Points became Staging Central.

Originally located at 5610 Calumet Avenue in Hammond, Art’s re-located to Whiting when the opportunity to purchase facilities in Robertsdale offered a more attractive location. Formerly known as Steak & Shake in the 40s and early 50s, ownership changed just in time to welcome the emerging economic force and coming of age teenagers, young adults’ insatiable appetites, their automobiles, and youthful independence.  Art’s fortress of cuisine stood proudly at the point where Calumet Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard merged roadways, (Routes 41 and 12-20), northward toward Chicago.

Regular cruisers would park in the back row of the drive-in’s lot and decide what street chariot to ride in.  Usually, the car with the most gas in the tank was selected. One guy would call dibs to ride shotgun up front, leaving seats in the back to their buddies.  Vehicles left behind would be locked and watched over by Art’s friendly car hops.

There was a pre-determined route and routine featured by cruisers. Depending on where one lived, there were major considerations as to street selection and sequence of drive-ins visitation.  We lived in the northernmost neighborhoods of the Region, so our travels took us south and east.  Almost instinctively, the cruise crew would pile in the designated street sled, punch the car’s AM radio buttons for TOP 40’s current hits, turn up the volume, roll the windows down to the floorboards, and head south on Calumet Avenue.

 A partial listing of Top 40, Chicagoland radio stations and on-air personalities of the fifties and sixties featured WLS’s Dick Biondi, Art Roberts, Jim Dunbar, Mort Crowley and Clark Weber; WIND’s Howard Miller, Gary,s WWCA was home to Vivian Carter, Dizzy Dizon, and Jerry Gerard; WCFL’s, Larry Lujack Ron Britian, and Barney Fife. Hammond radio station, WJOB featured Steve King.

Top 40 programming became the dominant choice of driver’s car radios.  Rock ‘n’ Roll artists and One Hit Wonders records became the soundtrack of youthful listeners for the next twenty years.  Raucous sing-alongs of current hit songs emanating from car speakers by a carload of silly-acting cruisers became commonplace. (When WLS changed format to “Top 40 Silver Dollar Survey” playlist on July 1st of 1960, “The Big 89” became the AM station of choice on car radios.)   For trivia buffs out there, the first Top 40 song WLS played was Alley-Oop by the Hollywood Argyles.

The official cruising’ itinerary was a map to adolescent adventure.  From Art’s Drive-In to Sons’ Drive-in at 169th Street and Calumet Avenue in Hammond for the evening’s first order of fries and soda; then on to the Drive-O-Matic for a frosty cold A&W root beer.  At each venue we kibitzed with the carhops, teased, and auditioned our latest offering of teenaged flirtation.  The game was to confuse the carhop until she lost count of how many mugs were to be returned.  These heavy glass mugs printed with colorful logos came in a variety of sizes and became prized souvenirs.

As soon as we had “mugged” the carhop, we headed for Kelly’s, and Serenade, two drive-ins located adjacent to one another on the southwest corner of Indianapolis Boulevard and 169th Street in Hammond.  (Although we cruised almost every night, this writer never patronized Serenade, Kelly’s was the preferred location.)  Sometimes we’d backtrack a few miles north on the Boulevard and go to the Fat Boy Drive-In to enjoy their half-ton cheeseburger.  Fat Boy was located at 6730 Indianapolis Boulevard in Hammond’s Woodmar section.  Its canopied entrance, and translucent Fiberglas-covered parking stalls where patrons could enjoy their food, presented a faux-cozy ambiance.  A side order of Fat Boy’s coleslaw enhanced one’s order of cheeseburger, fries, and Pepsi.

Often, we’d park at Kelly’s and watch the asphalt Romeos role-play James Dean or Marlon Brando as they sat in their souped-up jalopies, customized cars or flashy hardtops. With the car’s paint and chromed surfaces polished with a Blue Coral luster, the “Hollywood” wannabes slouched behind the wheel wearing sunglasses long after dark.  They reveled in their sullen image and became momentary chick-magnets and the center of attention.

After a couple of tunes on WIND, and an order of fries and Coca-Colas, we’d head for the Pow-Wow.  The Pow-Wow was a rectangular-shaped, white-enameled, concrete-block drive-in placed in the center of an asphalt-paved lot one block east of Kennedy Avenue at 2733 169th Street n Hammond’s Hessville neighborhood.  

Its glossy white enameled exterior was highlighted by bands of flashing pink neon that bannered the building’s perimeter.  On the roof’s peak, a multicolored neon starburst revolved in the night sky casting reflective rainbow-like shadows on carhops, parked cars, and patrons.  Mounted on the building’s roof facing 169th Street, a white-painted signboard with large black block letters spelled:  POW-WOW. Although Pow-Wow promoted “Home of the Bozo burger,” this writer’s favorite was their tomato burger

If the evening was still young, we’d cruise to the Patio, or the Frost Top.  Both drive-ins, like the Pow-Wow, were located in Hessville.  The Patio, at 3219 169th Street. Their slogan: “Remember the Alamo, and Don’t Forget the Patio.”  Hutsler’s Frost Top Drive-In at 176th Street and Kennedy Avenue. They’re advertising enticement: “Tasty Food and Quick Service.”   

On special nights, classic and customized cars would rally at the Blue Top Drive-In, located at 8801 Indianapolis Boulevard, just south of Ridge Road in Highland, Indiana. Blue Top is one of the Calumet Region’s premier Drive-Ins.  Beginning with business entrepreneur, William Johnsen in the 1930s, the original Blue Top opened in 1938 and operated until it was razed in 1965. The previous year, 1964, a new Blue Top was built and opened for business. It is in operation to this day

Occasionally, depending upon the amount of funds available, gas in the tank, and local gossip, the cruisin’ schedule would be adjusted to include an additional pit stop in Gary’s Miller beach area to check out the sights, sounds, and scene at Sammie’s Drive-In.

Another favorite was the A&W Root Beer drive-in, 3800 Hohman Avenue, in North Hammond.  It wasn’t on the cruise list, but it was the preferred place to stock up food and drink before going to the movies at the 41 Outdoor Theater on Sheffield Avenue. Doing so enabled moviegoers to enjoy good food without leaving the car, avoiding concession stand crowds.

 There was a plethora of drive-in eateries throughout the Calumet Region in the 40s, 50s, and 60s: The one’s mentioned above and others like: Bogan’s, Jim’s, Hoppe’s, Green Top, Romano’s, etc., cultivated their clientele and offered opportunities for youthful drivers to enjoy camaraderie, good food, and celebrate being young.   It was not uncommon to put more than 100 miles on the car’s odometer during a single night’s cruising.

On any given night, at any given drive-in, one could see the love affair guys had with cars.  On display would be classics, customized, jalopies, and current makes and models of motorized chariots.  Each one showcasing features and accessories that dazzled the eye: power front side vent windows, chopped roof lines, channeled chassis, lowered body profiles, adorned with fender skirts, laker pipes, twin spotlights, dual exhausts, Hollywood mufflers, Fiberglass rumble packs, straight pipes, Naugahyde upholstery, tricked out blue-dot tail light lenses, chromed-reversed wheels, pin striping, two-tone lacquer paint, high-speed camshafts, Holly and Stromberg high-performance carburetors,.

A host of after-market accessories were purchased which enhanced a car’s interior, exterior, and under the hood: Monroe Shock absorbers, steering wheel spinners, dashboard gauges, FM radio tuners, AH-OOO-GAH-horns, Continental Kits, chromed engine parts, racing clutches, up-graded differential gearing, nylon white-wall tires, and a variety of designed eye-catching wheel covers that replaced mundane hub caps.

I remember a guy with a souped-up red over black ’53 Mercury had a 45-rpm record player purchased from Warshawky’s installed in his car.   And most prominent was windshield’s rear-view mirrors displaying personal keepsakes and souvenirs: graduation tassels, beads, chains with class a class ring, wedding garters, and fuzzy dice.

Each vehicle was awash in the drive-in’s neon, fluorescent, and colored lighting. The reflected light from highly polished Blue Coral and Simonized sheet metal, chrome, and glass surfaces sparkled like metallic jewels.  Regardless of vehicle make, model, or style, a visit to a drive-in restaurant rewarded customers with an exhibit of piston-powered eye-candy.

The 1950s and 1960s were the heyday of innovation and style for American automobile manufacturers. Chrysler, American Motors, Ford, and GM competed for the consumer’s dollar by offering performance, innovation, styling, and affordable cars.  Americans have always had a love affair with the automobile.  In the 50s, and 60s, it was passionate. Drivers loved to motor and promenade from place to place, showcasing their personal vehicular trophy. Each carmaker had a distinctive look, enticement, and marketing strategy.   

This writer’s first car was a 1954, white over green Oldsmobile Rocket 88. 4-door sedan.   Purchased in the spring of 1959, it provided a means of independence and adventure to an 18-year-old steel mill worker. This nondescript car shared drive-in get-togethers with station wagons, coupes, hardtop, jalopies, convertibles, customized and classic automobiles.  A year later, the purchase of a 1960 Oldsmobile 98, white over black, convertible opened new worlds of elegant mobility and social adventures.

Thinking about those youthful times always engenders smiles and wonder as to what happened to all those pristine street sleds. The 50s and 60s cars left indelible impressions.  General Motor’s Classic Chevrolet Bel Air, Impalas, Corvair, and Camero; Pontiac’s Bonneville, Buick’s Riveria, and Wildcat; Oldsmobile’s Rocket 88 Starfire, the ’57 J2, triple carb coupe,  and the F-85 convertible; Studebaker’s Golden Hawk; Ford’s Crestline, Sun liner, Galaxy 500, and Thunderbird, classic ’34 Hot Rods, and the souped-up jalopies and customized street machines that dazzled the senses and beckoned carefree adventure.

An unexpected fringe benefit of owning and operating a drive-in restaurant was how these establishments became important headquarters for socialization and meeting place for adolescents and young adults. Drive-Ins became a motorized oasis that captured moments and memories of once-upon-a-time. Customers came to purchase menu offerings and show off prized cars.  Several strangers became friends.  Drive-in patrons enjoyed camaraderie, conversation, rivalries, and shared common interests and contemporary concerns while enjoying burgers, fries, and the soft drink of their choice. Over the years, they became treasured memories of yesteryear.

All the previously mentioned benefits and accoutrements would lose their meaning and importance if not for the car hop.  These adorable young ladies were delightful.  Without question, they were the stars of drive-in restaurants.  They performed their tasks with a personal and social expertise that captivated the pilot and passengers of the motorized clientele.  Using friendliness, humor, smiles, good-nature, appearance, and personal social skills they navigated the verbal tsunami of teasing and kibitzing while taking meu orders. They were phenomenal!

Each Drive-In had a particular dress code for carhops.   Some wore specifically designed uniforms with little caps. Some owners allowed short shorts and white go-go boots with tassels.  A unique group served patrons on roller skates. Other owners required car hops to wear shirt-waist dresses or blouse and skirt—no slacks, no shorts.  Most of the carhops were students from local high schools who bantered back-and-forth with guys from other schools who kidded and boasted about their school.  

To watch how they balanced, carried, and walked with a full window tray of burgers, fries, colas, and side dishes was poetry in motion.  The car’s driver had to elevate the front side window high enough to allow for proper setting of the serving tray.   When the order arrived, drivers paid the carhop.  When customers were ready to leave, a quick flash of headlights signaled the carhop to come and take the serving tray and remnants for disposal back to be kitchen.

This was prime time for flirtation, teasing, and small talk with the carhop.  This was when the patron(s) left a gratuity or tip for the server.  Most carhops were not paid an hourly wage, their earnings came from tips of satisfied customers.  Drive-In regulars would identify a particular car hop and park in her assigned area.  Doing so engendered friendship.  Often, this friendship encouraged propinquity, and resulted in dating and going steady.

This writer can attest to this outcome.  On a chance meeting at the POW-WOW drive-in early in the spring of 1960 with a car hop who was a senior at Morton High School, a friendship and mutual affection developed over the summer.  On September 24, 1960, a first date ignited a life-long relationship.  Sixty-three years later, and 58 years of marriage, the magic continues.  Drive-Ins, Cruising, and Car Hops – It doesn’t get any better than this.

Regrettably, there’s not much cruising done today. Most of the Drive-Ins—movie theaters and restaurants—are history. Instead of carhops, motorists talk to a grid opening in a lighted menu sign. One’s order is repeated, in what sounds like a nasal-clogged underwater gargle. Technology has advanced to improve the quality of the system’s audiology.  Today, it’s referred to as Artificial Intelligence.  Cold, scripted, and void of human interaction.

Everything is handed to you through a small opening in the drive-thru window—like passing food to an outcast. Minimal personal contact. No carhops, no souvenirs to collect, minute social interaction..  The face in the window has your computerized order bagged and ready to push out to you.  Order. Pay. Change. Food. Next! That’s the modern way.  That’s progress.  Seems like we’re all in such a hurry these days, there’s no time to be human. It’s all so contrived, programmed, and robotic-like.

Too bad the modern generation won’t have the opportunity to go cruisin’ like we did. There was something very special about going to a favorite drive-in and having a friendly carhop smile while she took your order as both good naturedly teased one another and enjoyed the repartee.  It was quite an era—something very special indeed. With heartfelt appreciation and gratitude, to all former Drive-In owners, carhops, and cruisers out there, “Thanks” for the memories.

Cruisers’ List of Drive-Ins (circa late 50s-early 60s)

Art’s Drive-In – Five Points:  Indianapolis Boulevard and Calumet Avenue, Whiting, IN
Hoppe’s Drive-In - Indianapolis Boulevard and Atcheson Avenue, Whiting, IN
A&W Drive-In -3800 Hohman Avenue, Hammond, IN
Son’s Drive-In – 6850 Calumet Avenue, Hammond, IN
Drive-O-Matic   – 7206 Calumet Avenue, Hammond, IN
Fat Boy Drive-In – 6730 Indianapolis Boulevard, Hammond, IN
Kelly’s Drive-In – 169th Street and Indianapolis Boulevard, Hammond, IN
Serenade Drive-In - Indianapolis Boulevard,(south of 169th Street by Woodmar Jewelers), Hammond, IN
Pow-Wow Drive-In -  2733 169th Street  (169th & Kennedy Avenue), Hammond, IN
Patio Drive-In – 3219 169th Street, Hammond, IN
Frost Top Drive-In – 176th Street and Kennedy Avenue, Hammond, IN
Dog & Suds Drive-In – 8100 Kennedy Avenue, Highland, IN
Blue Top Drive-In – 8801 Indianapolis Boulevard, Highland, IN
Sammie’s Drive-In – Miller, Gary, IN
Jim’s Drive-In – 5121 Calumet Avenue, Hammond, IN
Romano’s Drive-In  - Ridge Road and Kleinman  -- Highland, IN 

Note:  This is a partial list of Calumet Region drive-in eateries. Feel free to add to the directory and folklore of cruising, and cavorting. How many do you remember? What’s your fondest drive-in restaurant memory?