One of the Founders of Elby's Big Boy Restaurants Dies (Wheeling: shop, food)

[CTMountaineer]

Northern Panhandle folks will remember the Elby's Restaruants. The last surviving Boury brother from the founders of that former chain just passed away.

Ellis Boury - News, Sports, Jobs - The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register

[snorpus]

Every time we went shopping in Wheeling, we would stop for lunch at the Elby's north of Moundsville. The Brawny Lad was my favorite... hamburger patty and a thick slice of Bermuda Onion on a rye bun. It would still be my favorite if there were still an Elby's somewhere.

[CTMountaineer]

The chain started around 1960, and the Woodsdale location had "car hops" that would bring your order out to the car. It was the place to "cruise" in the evenings for teens looking to pick up the opposite sex. Some kids would drive around and around the place.

[billscamaros]

I remember visiting the Elby's in Weirton when I was a kid. They also had the "car hop" section that you noted above. And right across the street was a small fast food place called "Winky's". Kind of a McDonalds type of place. I don't recall ever seeing any others.

[snorpus]

Originally Posted by billscamaros

I remember visiting the Elby's in Weirton when I was a kid. They also had the "car hop" section that you noted above. And right across the street was a small fast food place called "Winky's". Kind of a McDonalds type of place. I don't recall ever seeing any others.

Winky's was headquartered somewhere around Pittsburgh, I think. At least, when I came here in the late '60s, there were a ton of them around, almost as many as McD and BK. Sort of a second tier fast food place.

According to Wikipedia, Winky's started in 1962, and went out of business in 1982.