Restaurant – Larry Johnston, Nostalgic Artist

Varsity #2

October 18, 2020February 22, 2021 Admin

The Varsity #2

Atlanta, Georgia

The first Painting of the Varsity, in Atlanta, was so popular, that I had a couple approach me and commissioned me to paint their” his and her” cars in a Varsity picture. Hers was the Camero. I was participating in quite a few festivals and art shows in the Atlanta, GA area during that time, so the Varsity prints were very popular.

around the sides of the wood.

8″ x 12″ white Edge………. $109.17

8″ x 12″ wrapped Edge………. $109.17

Varsity #1

October 16, 2020February 22, 2021 Admin

“The Varsity”

Atlanta, GA.

The first thing you hear when you arrive at the Varsity are the words, “What’ll ya have?” If you don’t know about the varsity, I need to bring you up to date. The date was 1928, when the varsity was opened, just a couple of blocks from Georgia Tech, in Atlanta, GA. It has become to be the World’s Largest Drive-in Restaurant. It can accommodate 600 cars and 800 people inside.

I have heard the drive-in restaurant serves 2 miles of Hot Dogs, a ton of Onions, 2500 pounds of Potatoes, 5000 Fried Pies and 300 gallons of Chili, made from scratch daily. That’s a lot of food they would have to have ready!

So, you see why I had to paint this painting. Of course, I had to include a well-known classic car to add to the picture, as if the Varsity needed to have anything added. By the way, the chili cheese dogs are outstanding! So, if you’re heading south on I-75 through downtown Atlanta, the Varsity will be on your left side.

You can learn more about the history and menu of the Varsity Drive-In Restaurant at:

www.thevarsity.com

16” x 20” ………. Limited Edition Paper Print $45.00

around the sides of the wood.

24″ X 36″ original painting on canvas not available.

Azar’s Big Boy

October 14, 2020February 22, 2021 Admin

Azar’s Big Boy

South Bend, IN

Azar’s Big Boy was a typical 1950s Drive-in, complete with Car Hops. It was right next to another Drive-in called Bonnie Doon. The back of the drive-ins was an alley, so it became a way to go in one and drive to the other and exit back to the street, around the block and do it all over again. This was called the “Merry-go-round”. Also popular in the 1960s, when I was in High School were motor scooters. The 2 pictured are the Cushman brand. The one of the left is like the one my brother drove. It even had a stick shift. Another popular scooter at the time was the Allstate. It had bubble type fenders with a storage compartment on one side, unlike the red Cushman with the storage compartment under the seat.

This painting was one of my first paintings when I started featuring classic cars.

around the sides of the wood.

Bonnie Doon Drive-in,US 31 N

October 13, 2020February 22, 2021 Admin

Bonnie Doon,

US 31 North, South Bend, Indiana.

There were 5 local Bonnie Doon ice cream shops that were drive-ins, in the South Bend – Mishawaka, Indiana area. I had painted a couple of the stores when a couple approached me and wanted a painting of the drive-in on US 31 north, which was located between South Bend, Indiana and Niles, Michigan. It was just north of a community called Roseland.

There was a catch to this painting though. The couple had been married at the church, across from this particular Bonnie Doon drive-in. The wife and her mother had both worked there, and while the couple had dated, they spend many evenings at Bonnie Doon. Here’s the catch! I told them I would paint their car in the painting. We compromised and I painted all the cars they had owned since they had been married into the picture, in all the correct colors.

As you can see, here is the final result. The prints of the painting became popular and I have painted the same place with other personal cars in the paintings, BUT NOT AS MANY! I had a ball creating this painting. Here the other Bonnie Doon paintings I have painted: Bonnie Doon, S. Michigan St., South Bend; Bonnie Doon on Lincolnway West in Mishawaka: Bonnie Doon in the 1940s on 4th St in Mishawaka; Bonnie Doon on 4th St. Mishawaka in the 1950s.

around the sides of the wood.

24” x 36” ……….Original Painting on stretched canvas Not Available

Crimaldi’s Restaurant & Lounge

October 12, 2020December 27, 2022 Admin

Copyright Larry Johnston

**Crimaldi’s Restaurant & Lounge**

**Elkhart, IN**

Crimaldi’s Restaurant & Lounge is located, in the heart of Elkhart at 117 W. Jackson Blvd. Once named “Bozos”, Mike Crimaldi and his mother Shirley bought it in 1980 and after several years changed the name to Crimaldi’s in 1988, making it one of the go-to places for great food and social activities

When planning the painting, I decided to make it look like 1988 when Crimaldi’s officially opened with the current name. I had a lot of fun creating a local hot spot for social life and good food, complete with cars of the time.

**Prints:**

**ALL PRINTS** are printed on **canvas and stretched on wooden stretcher bars** and prices vary according to size ordered. Most are 2:3 proportion

**Options:**

**wrapped print-** part of the image is wrapped

around the sides of the wood.

**Non-wrapped print-** The full image is on the face, with white or black edges

**(frames and hardware are not included)**

**8″ x 12″ Black Edge**………. $109.17

**8″ x 12″ White Edge**………. $109.17

**8″ x 12″ Wrapped Edge**………. $109.17

**12” x 18” Black Edge** ………. $168.07

**12” x 18” White Edge** ………. $168.07

**12” x 18” Wrapped Edge** ………. $168.07

**16” x 24” Black Edge** ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

**16” x 24” White Edge** ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

**16” x 24” Wrapped Edge** ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

**20” x 30” Black Edge**………. $314.34

**20” x 30” White Edge**………. $314.34

**20” x 30” Wrapped Edge**………. $314.34

**24” x 36”Black Edge** ………. $335.65

**24” x 36”White Edge** ………. $335.65

**24” x 36”Wrapped Edge** ………. $335.65

24” x 36” Original Painting on stretched canvas $1,295

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Skyline Chili #2

December 31, 2014February 22, 2021 Admin

Skyline Chili

Cincinnati, Ohio

Founded in 1949, the first Skyline Chili on Glenway Avenue, in Cincinnati, Ohio is an area now known as Price Hill. The building is no longer there, however around the corner at 3714 Warsaw Ave (above painting), is a combination restaurant and drive through Skyline Chili.

Famous for their special chili, coney dogs and my favorites, the 3-way, 4-way and 5-way which offers a combination of Spaghetti, topped with their special Chili, covered with cheese. Onions and beans can be added.

While exhibiting in the Cincinnati area Art shows, we discovered Skyline Chili and soon after, I painted two versions of the restaurant on Warsaw Avenue. In the first version, I painted the first wienermobile in the painting, as it was leaving the restaurant. (Click to View). I guess the driver was craving a Skyline coney dog. A couple, I met at an art festival, wanted me to paint the painting without those vehicles and wanted theirs in the painting instead. I have personalized other paintings over my career, especially at their favorite restaurants or places they grew up around.

around the sides of the wood.

Skyline Chili #1

December 31, 2014February 22, 2021 Admin

Skyline Chili & Wienermobile.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Skyline Chili is well known around Cincinnati, so while in the area exhibiting in several shows, I decided to paint one of their locations. Actually, I painted 2 Skyline paintings, one commissioned by a customer, to include his car in the painting. (View)

The painting above was the closest to the original restaurant, which has since closed. Since they were famous for chili dogs, I included the original Wienermobile in the painting. I didn’t know what brand of hot dogs they used, but the Skyline Chili Restaurant with the Wienermobile was quite a popular painting.

around the sides of the wood.

24” x 36” ………. $1,295.00 Original Painting

Waffle House

December 31, 2014February 22, 2021 Admin

WAFFLE HOUSE®

Down South Everywhere.

Believe it or not, while on the road during my Art Show career, Waffle House® became a regular stop in our lives. They have been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner since 1955, 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

They have, including franchises, 1,500 stores. Every year, as we headed south we started seeing them just south of Indianapolis, all the way to the Gulf coast. Waffle house became our favorite breakfast place.

They have their own dialog. I ordered Cheese and eggs, scattered smothered and covered, but not chunked, (That meant the hash browns were scattered, not in a patty, covered meant it had cheese on it and if you wanted chunked, it came with ham.)

They claim they are the world’s leader in service Waffles, Omelettes and T-bone steaks. We also had their great cheeseburgers, not to mention coffee for breakfast.

Because of their hours, many truck drivers and travelers stopped there. We celebrated Christmas at Waffle House® for quite a few years, because nobody else was open for dinner on Christmas day.

I painted the painting, which depicted the late hours, with the cars and trucks sitting outside. The black Ford Mustang in the painting was the car that the man owned, who bought the painting. It was sold, before I had even finished the painting at the Yellow Daisy Festival, in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I try to paint at the shows when it’s not too busy.

around the sides of the wood.