Sandy's first location was on Sheridan Street in Peoria, Illinois. That location quickly caught on fire and it is an understatement to say that Sandy's was extremely popular in the city.
Following numerous other openings in Peoria, Sandy's decided to open a new location in downtown Peoria, which at the time was a powerhouse city, driven by the agricultural midwest. Peoria was used as a testing ground by restaurants to see if concepts would work before expanding into large markets such as Chicago.
The following article appeared in the Peoria Journal Star shortly before its opening.
A downtown Sandy's Restaurant specializing in quick breakfasts, lunches and dinners is being planned for the former Loveridge Florist building at 423 Main St.
The restaurant would be franchised by the Sandy's chain, which operates a number of drive-in restaurants throughout the country. This would be only the third downtown, walk-in restaurant in the chain.
Donald E. Ashley who would be supervisor of the restaurant, said a seating capacity of around 45 persons is planned.
Ashley said breakfasts would be served as well as quick lunches and carry-out orders mainly for persons working in the downtown area. The restaurant would also be open through the dinner hour but Ashley said he is not sure how late. The building, which formerly housed the floral shop, has been leased for the restaurant, Ashley said. Also, a petition has been filed for variance in city zoning regulations to allow the restaurant in the building with-out providing off-street parking. The Zoning Board of appeals will hear the case at 2 p.m., June 8th.
Ashley in the petition said that since the restaurant will have only walk-in customers and no vehicular traffic, no parking space is needed. Ashley, who is president of the Peoria park Board, is a part-owner of a number of Sandy's drive-in operations in the Kansas and Oklahoma areas and is supervisor of three in Topeka, Kansas.
If you have any memorabilia, pictures or stories of Sandy's in Peoria or elsewhere, please email me!