Wagon Ho!

Wagon Ho! was a fast-food restaurant at Eastwood Mall, the first location in a national chain founded in 1968 by Birmingham entrepreneur Temple Barnard, who moved the company headquarters to St Petersburg, Florida that same year. He planned to expand across the country with 51 locations in the first year and another 200 by the end of 1970, but only five ever opened, three of which were built by a franchise owner in Vancouver, British Columbia. The chain folded in 1970.

The roof of the restaurant, designed by Don Williams, was inflated into the shape of a huge Conestoga wagon with an International Fiberglass-made statue of a 15-foot-tall teamster sitting on the front. The restaurant, which had a drive-thru and covered picnic tables, featured hamburgers, sandwiches and soft-serve ice cream.

The defunct restaurant was purchased by the Kelly's Hamburgers chain, and later became Dilly's Deli. The wagon-shaped sign survived past the demolition of the restaurant itself.

References

• Hollis, Tim (2005) Birmingham's Theater and Retail District. Images of America series. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738517771
• Baker, Joel (December 10, 2013) "Pioneer Man" American Giants - Muffler Men.