A MyReporter reader who spent her childhood in Wilmington is trying to remember the name of a drive-in restaurant that was on Castle Hayne Road during the early 1960s. So far we’re stumped and we’re going to need your help to answer her question.
Here’s more information from the reader: “The drive-in restaurant was just past a wicked curve in the road” on the way out of Wilmington.
If you can help to answer this question, please click on the link below to leave a comment with what you know about the restaurant.
Thanks.
Date posted: November 3, 2011
User-contributed question by:
Anonymous
it was called the chic-chic
It was the chic chic Drive in. It was right past merrits diner
Was it the Chic-Chic?
Was it the Miljo drive in?
Is it possibly the Chic-Chic Drive -in ? The geographical discription makes me think so.
Are you talking about the Chic Chic. Thats were all the teenagers use to hang out. I have lots of stories from my parents about that place!
Could the reader asking the question be thinking of the Chic-Chic? It was a popular drive-in restaurant during the 1960s and was located on N. Fourth Street near the Castle Hayne Road. As well, there was a dangerous curve nearby. Previously detailed information on this Wilmington restaurant has appeared in My Reporter and can be accessed by plugging in “Chic-Chic” to the column’s search tool.
Frankie Raymer
As it turns out, North Fourth Street in Wilmington becomes Castle Hayne Road heading out of town. Several readers suggested the mystery drive-in restaurant might be the Chic-Chic, which was located on North Fourth Street.
Here’s a link to a previously published answer about the Chic-Chic: What was the Chic-Chic?
Thanks to all who helped to answer this question.
Like the other posts, my guess would be the Chic Chic.
I think there was another drive in by the large produce market on Casle Haynes. I think it was named the Ideal Derive-in
i think the name name was called mill-joes after the man named it after his wife and gaughter
Second hand info: A friend that lived in that area informed me of a resturant named, “White Owl”, but it may have been in the 50’s.
As one headed North on North Fourth St. immediately after crossing the first railroad bridge, the Chic-chic was on the right. About a block further on the right just before the curve was a drive-in called The Hilton. The building was later used as Merrit’s BBQ. These were the only two “drive-in” businesses all the way to the Pender County line in the ’60s.
THE CHIC CHIC
Tasty-Freeze had a drive-in where Hardees put their place at twenty-third and Castle Hayne Rd. There was another drive-in at Gordon and Castle Hayne Rd. Don’t know the name but it has been several restraunts over the years. There was also a drive-in restraunt in Castle Hayne at the intersection; they didn’t come to your car but many of the Ideal Cement workers ate there for years. By the way; if you were a serious cruiser in the 60s you might consider going to Paul’s Place or the Bar-B-Que joint across from it. It was called the Pig-something or the something-pig. We considered that part of Castle Hayne back then.
Was it Chic-Chic grill?
I used to hear my grandparents talk about a place called Roservelt Gardens that was located at the corner of Gorden and Castle Hayne Road. Speaking of Gorden Road many people don’t realize that it was cut into two parts by the expansion of the airport.