Sandy's fan Randy remembers Sandy's #22, 2470 N. Campbell, Tucson, Arizona which was Sandy's #22!
I came across this website yesterday whilst searching for information on my favorite childhood restaurant.
Sandy’s was by far the best burger place as far as I am concerned, it’s a crime that they are gone. I remember them when I lived in Tucson , AZ ; a special treat was to eat at Sandy ’s at 2470 N. Campbell Ave. in Tucson (now I believe it is a Eegees, Google earth may show a vague outline of the original roof…photo attached). My family always let who ever had a birthday in the family decide where they wanted to eat, I ALWAYS chose Sandy ’s. I clearly remember the 60’s TV commercials in Tucson that had a variety of people in different situations coming to Sandy ’s “as they are”. The jingle was “At Sandy’s, come as you are”. The one thing about these commercials that stands out to me is I remember a person in a diving suit with flippers walking backwards into a Sandy ’s restaurant to get a hamburger!
We moved away from AZ to New England around 1968, and I remember being very sad as there were no Sandy ’s in New England . There were these “new” places called McDonald’s around that were definitely not as good. I even eventually worked at a McDonald’s in Beverly, MA., around 1977, and it was a terrible place to work, they found every reason why “the minions” could not advance. The other thing that incenses me is that Ray Kroc claims to have founded McDonald’s. B.S. Fact as I understand it was that Ray was selling milk shake mixers to the McDonald brothers, and he more or less swindled the McDonald brothers out of the McDonald’s restaurant...
The real strange twist to the information on your website is that all this started in Champaign – Urbana ! You see, I was born in Champaign in Burnham City Hospital October 1957, and lived in Urbana before our family moved to Tucson , AZ. So all of this regarding Sandy ’s starting happened in my backyard when I was just new to this world! I think that is very cool!
I am starting to watch for Sandy ’s memorabilia on eBay, it would be cool to buy some items that relate to Sandy ’s. If you know of some other places I might find Sandy ’s memorabilia, I would greatly appreciate that direction.
I read with great interest about the possible last Sandy ’s, which is Zandy’s in Great Falls , MT. My son is in the Air Force and desires to relocate to Great Falls , what better excuse than to go visit him when he gets there to eat at the last Sandy ’s!
If there is any research that I may be able to help you with, please let me know.
Best regards and memories,
Randall Percival
Special thanks to Robby Delius for the above Sandy's Tucson advertisement.
Sandy's fan & Tucson Historian Catherine Westergaard presents an article about Sandy's #22, Tucson, Arizona!
Found the attached article today. My buddy, who was a delivery driver to Sandy's in Tucson, was correct when he told me that a different type of Sandy's was here, opened by Ben Gross then sold to a Mr. Anthis. In 1961 when the Sandy's chain came in, they bought out Mr. Anthis and the name. Notice that the article reads that Sandy's is a drive-in with no interior dining room, that you order from your car, but there are no car hops!
Catherine
Arizona Daily Star, 2/16/61
New Drive-In Chain Opens in Tucson
Sandy’s Thrift and Swift Drive-ins, a national corporation will have a facility in operation in Tucson in 45 days and plans to open five stations in the community within a year. Construction has been started on the first drive-in at the corner of N. Campbell Ave and Water Street.
An Arizona corporation has been formed to operate the drive-ins planned for this state. Robert C. Wenger of Kewanee, IL, is the president, and Charles M. Clark the treasurer and manager of the Tucson enterprises.
Operating in 19 communities in nine states, the company found in Tucson for the first time a Sandy’s Drive-in at 19 E. Speedway (*the one I told you about, owned by Mr. Anthis). It purchased the business and will convert it to its own type of operation. The company operates drive-in food service with no juke boxes or car hops. All male help is employed, and it requires 25 employees to operate each facility. The buildings are completely modern, and each station represents an investment of $125,000.
Customers purchase food from their cars. There is no inside dining room. The menu includes hamburgers, cheeseburgers, milkshakes, and French fries, all sold at reasonable prices.
The properties for Sandy’s Thrift and Swift Drive-ins are purchased through Winter-Luety Realty. The company was first organized in Peoria, IL, in 1958.
If you have any memorabilia, pictures or stories of Sandy's in Tucson or elsewhere, please email me!
