Photos: A night at Johnie's Drive-in on Speedway in 1969
Cruising Speedway on weekend nights was a thing for 30 years or more. Speedway had the reputation as one of the ugliest streets in America. It was pockmarked with bars and billboards, but that was definitely part of the flavor.
Teenagers work up an appetite sitting in their cars and Johnie's Fat Boy on Speedway at Tucson and Johnie's Drive-in on Speedway at Craycroft filled the bill. They served burgers, fries and Cokes 24 hours a day. (Want ads seeking fry cooks and waitresses appeared almost daily in the Star and Citizen.)Â
In 1957, George Carl Wright and Mary Louise Wright moved to Tucson from Illinois, where their family owned motels and restaurants. Carl cut his teeth in the business as a dishwasher at his father's truck stop.Â
Carl (at age 22) and Mary Louise bought the Johnie's franchise from Frank Johnson. By the late 1960s they operated four Johnie's restaurants.
The drive-in on Speedway at Craycroft opened in 1962. It featured phone ordering direct to the kitchen and indoor seating for 200 customers. Underage drinking and fights became a nuisance and the Wrights tore down the drive-in lanes and reverted to solely indoor dining.
A Walgreen's now sits where the popular cruiser hangout once stood.
Sources: Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Citizen newspaper archives.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
Airman 1st Class Fred Hancock snags drinks off the drive-in tray at Johnie's on Speedway and Craycroft in August, 1969.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
Johnie's Drive-in restaurant at 5355 E. Speedway Blvd. in August, 1969. It's now a Walgreen's.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
A double-exposure by the photographer creates the illusion of two Johnie's Drive-in restaurants on Speedway Blvd. at Craycroft Road in August, 1969. In reality, there was only one on the left in the photo. It's now a Walgreen's pharmacy.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
Waitress Louise DeLuc serves up burgers and sodas at Johnie's Drive-in restaurant on Speedway Blvd. at Craycroft Road in August, 1969.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
Vehicles run the gamut from 1950s-60s sedans to a pickup truck to a wannabe classic Mustang with some body work at Johnie's Drive-in restaurant on Speedway Blvd. at Craycroft Road in August, 1969.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
Parfait and sundae glassware stacked at the ready at Johnie's Drive-in restaurant on Speedway Blvd. at Craycroft Road in August, 1969.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
A waitress prepares drinks at Johnie's Drive-in restaurant on Speedway Blvd. at Craycroft Road in August, 1969.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
A Speedway cruiser sits on his British MG sports car along Speedway Blvd. in August, 1969.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
Speedway Boulevard looking west from N. Sahuara Avenue in August, 1969. Rusty's Frontier Club, right, at 5769 E. Speedway Blvd., is now The Frozen Cactus bar.
Speedway, Johnie's, 1969
Speedway Boulevard looking west from Dodge Boulevard in August, 1969. Jimmy's Auto Sales sits in the shadows at right. The original building sat vacant behind a strip mall for many years. It burned down about three years ago.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor