Anyone remember the Airway Inn on Colonel Glenn

Dayton Memories > Anyone remember the Airway Inn on Colonel Glenn

Anyone remember the Airway Inn on Colonel Glenn

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historybuff 61 posts Feb 06, 2014 3:46 PM	The Airway Inn was a great little restaurant on Airway Road adjacent to WPAFB. Nothing but large Defense Contractor buildings now. They had the best cheeseburgers around at that time. The bartender/owner(?) at that time was named Peggy. Wonder whatever happened to her. Maybe someone familiar with Beavercreek will know.
Calhoun 261 posts Feb 06, 2014 4:38 PM	Yes, great burgers. Still remember when the Inn burnt down, always surprised the place wasn't rebuilt. Don't remember Peggy by name, but the one waitress I remember would have been in her early/mid 40s in the early 1970s. That would put her in her mid-80s if she's still with us.
tlturbo 571 posts Feb 07, 2014 11:52 AM	Only thing I remember there was a Cassano's just East of the gate at the top of the hill before heading down toward Page Manor. What years you talking about??
historybuff 62 posts Feb 08, 2014 7:14 AM	TT, I believe it was late 60’s, early 70’s. about just west of the New-Germany Airway Road intersection on the south side of Airway Road. A very popular lunch place for people working at WPAFB. After the place burned down, I think she opened another restaurant close to the Airway Road-Woodman Drive intersection called Peggy’s Place. Late 60’s, I guess would make it about 50 odd years ago. Amazing, how time flies...
Calhoun 262 posts Feb 08, 2014 4:11 PM	The Inn was in place until at least the summer of 1976. A few of us took classes after work at WSU that summer, and Airway Inn was our pre-class eatery of choice. Mentioned the Inn to one of the WPAFB old timers yesterday, he says he remembered the owner of the Inn wanted to rebuild on the same spot, but the owner of the property would not approve putting up another bar on the property. He also said there was talk the bar burning down was not an accident. Another of the oldtimers remarked the famous Airway Inn burger moved on after the fire to another local bar. He thought it might have been the Maple Grove, but if historybuff is correct, it's new home might have been Peggy's Place.
historybuff 82 posts Feb 17, 2014 6:26 AM	I was just on Col. Glenn Hwy., out by WPAFB over the weekend and noticed close to Woodman drive and actually, there still is a “Peggy’s Place” there. Couldn’t tell whether it was still open or not. I wonder if she was previously associated with the “Airway Inn”? Anyone know about or been to that establishment? RG or Calhoun, that’s close to Riverdale. Are you familiar with that bar? TNX. Last Edited by historybuff on Feb 17, 2014 6:31 AM
Calhoun 264 posts Feb 20, 2014 3:43 PM	I've seen "Peggy's Place", but don't ever recall having been there. Next time I'm in the area, if the place is open and looks safe to venture into, I'll stop and ask the question.
winterfritz 2 posts Feb 20, 2014 3:46 PM	A few years ago, I was in Peggy’s Pub and Peggy was at the bar hopelessly drunk…as a joke I bought her a double Wild Turkey………intending to drink it myself…….I thought “no way she’s going to even consider drinking this”…….. Wrong, she snatched it up, fired it down and puked all over the bar. The last I heard the place went out of business. When I was in college at Wright State, I used to drink allot at the Airway Inn and it was indeed a sad day when it burnt down (grease fire I was told}………. The Airway Inn has/had no relation with the now defunct Maple Grove on 3rd Street (I worked at the Maple Grove briefly and know the ex-owner)………
Riverdale Ghost 459 posts Feb 20, 2014 4:30 PM	Sorry, never heard of Peggy's, but my bar visits are very few and far between. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations.
historybuff 85 posts Feb 21, 2014 12:01 AM	Sorry to hear about “Peggy’s” incident. Doesn’t sound like the Peggy I remember. This would have been the late 60’s/early 70’s. She was always quite the lady with a great sense of humor. Maybe that incident could have been her daughter? Granddaughter?….:)
winterfritz 4 posts Feb 21, 2014 6:50 AM	Historybuff………. Yes, it was probably a different Peggy. This was about 2008 and the woman I refer to would have been in her 40’s……………….. Other bars along that stretch of road: The Orbit Inn (still there, doing business under another name) On the corner of Woodman and Airway (Col. Glenn) was a bar with a cocktail glass on it’s sign. Man it was there for years and I can’t think of its name!!!……the lot is razed now and was last doing business as “Jimmy’s” I believe…….the owner was an ex Beavercreek police officer if I recall correctly. The Rendezvous in the Airway Shopping Center…………… Tuty’s…………another place, another fire…….owned by a guy named “Don” who ran a trailer park off of Valley Street……………..
Calhoun 265 posts Feb 21, 2014 8:18 AM	The old Orbit has reopened under several names over the years, none lasted very long. One of them actually put up a sign, but never opened under that name. The building is still in place, but nothing is open. Used to go to the Maple Grove for lunch alot in the late 80s/early 90s. Remember the guy who owned it was under house arrest and had to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. The current hot bar along Col Glenn is W. O. Wrights, across the street from Tuty's. Interesting customer demographics, a mix of WPAFB types, WSU students/staff, and folks from the various support contrator faculities that have sprung up along Col Glenn.
winterfritz 5 posts Feb 21, 2014 8:40 AM	LOL! Calhoun! About the Maple Grove guy! Yeah, that's him.....he used to own another bar somewhere just south of Downtown.....that bar was torched and a homeless guy was killed in the arson....... W.O Wrights opened up years ago as "The Backgammon Club"....and its demographics are indeed varied and similar to those of the old "Airway Inn"...
Calhoun 266 posts Feb 21, 2014 5:16 PM	For years, Tuty's was the only place to eat on the east end of Col Glenn near Area B, that and the Sub House on Trebein. The first real alternative was the Hardees on the corner of Col Glenn and Nationial Road. Being a true "fast food" joint, the place was an instant lunch-time success. Rumor was the franchise was owned by a very high ranking civilian (SES) who eventually retired a very rich man. Speaking of Tuty's, I worked in Area B for better than 30 years and ate there exactly two times. Both were going away luncheons, the last one in the early 90s. I've never been in the new Tuty's, despite living just a couple miles away. Last Edited by Calhoun on Feb 21, 2014 5:18 PM
winterfritz 6 posts Feb 21, 2014 5:49 PM	Calhoun, How about toward the Fairborn end of Col. Glenn, by Wright State’s “Achilles Hill”? There was Joe’s Pizza and that fried chicken place that was owned by some Oriental folks who were constantly arguing loudly amongst themselves…….great fried chicken..I don’t recall the name of that place….. As far as Tuty’s goes, the original owner was some guy named “Don”. He had something to do with the trailer courts on Valley Street…..last I heard he had some sort of terminal disease (long before the place burnt down) Another question Calhoun: What about that fire in those two tall structures on the base just behind Tuty’s??? I remember watching them burn…..looked like two candles going up. They were repaired and are still there.
Calhoun 267 posts Feb 21, 2014 9:43 PM	I remember Joe's, but not the other place. We seldom went toward/to Fairborn for lunch, however. I think the tower-like buildings you are talking about are, or at one time were, part of the Avionics Lab. Seems like I was in one of those buildings at some point, but can't recall why. Don't remember them burning.
winterfritz 8 posts Feb 22, 2014 6:32 AM	I can’t find anything about the fire in the avionics towers. This would have been in the mid to late 1960’s. It was no small fire! I lived about 2 miles to the west of them with a clear view, and I’m tellin’ you, it was quite spectacular. Seems to be allot of fires around there, Tuty’s, The Airway Inn, the avionics towers……….
Calhoun 268 posts Feb 22, 2014 6:39 AM	I was there from 81-2011. One of my former bosses worked in the building you mentioned, it was the A-10 SPO at the time it burned. I remember the Soap Box Derby races on the ramp as a youngster, mid/late 60s. Also remember the big booms from the gun range over the years.
historybuff 90 posts Feb 24, 2014 10:10 PM	Reviewing the posts on this thread, it seems there are a number of WPAFB retreads present. I’m sure that anyone who spent many years on the base with its thousands of employees made up of military, civil servants and contractors from all over the country remember some very interesting and sometimes amazing stories. I remember one story that I was connected with which was rather interesting and a little humorous in retrospect. At one time there was a group of employees responsible for the maintenance of a large laboratory facility. For the moment I think it should remain anonymous, although if anyone was remotely connected with it they might remember the incident. It was during 1976, the bicentennial year and a group of employees, professional tradespeople at the time and in a spirit of well-meaning patriotism, decided to paint a very large 12’ high cylindrical chamber; red, white and blue in very bright colors with the caption,(in 12” high letters); 1776-1976 on the side. As they were all contractors, it created quite a storm on Monday morning; 1. Who did it and why?, 2. Who paid for it?, and very importantly, 3. Who authorized it?, LOL. It actually was quite impressive and very visible. After the initial storm, some 8” by 10” color glossies were made of the chambers and somehow were copied and distributed. I don’t think the perpetrators were ever identified, reprimanded or commended but I believe maybe even in the Pentagon, there hangs a color picture of this patriotic event…….:)
tlturbo 577 posts Feb 25, 2014 5:16 AM	I'm not sure what time frame you all are talking about because that was my neck of the woods from 60-72 and I don't remember most of those places. I lived E on New Germany just past Bellbrook Fairfield Rd. There was an Exxon station at the corner of Col Glenn and National and a rootbeer stand just to the E of it. Across Col Glenn was another gas station (one of these was a Sunoco at some point) in the point where NGT came in and across NGT was a puttergolf. Wright State wasn't there until they built the first bldg. in 64-65. I took a class in that one bldg. summer of 65 after graduation before heading to OU. Don't believethere was anything on Col Glenn heading E toward the curve down toward Hdg bldg. at the base. I also remember the soap box derby races and in summer of 65 went to the theater at Wright field. Went in the gate across from the blimp hanger on National. Heading West on Col Glenn all I remember before getting to the base entrance was a Robert Hall across from the end of National (I do remember the 2 tall towers at the base lab) and a Cassano's just E of the gate. Then down the hill to Page Manor.
joeferrara 47 posts Feb 25, 2014 3:52 PM	I used to work up in the towers in Bldg. 620 during the early-mid 1970s. 10th & 12th floors. 1 tower was for the elevator, the other, the stairs. I was in the Air Force at the time and worked in Bldg. 22 until the construction of Bldg. 620 was completed early in 1972. I don't know of any fire in the towers during that time, but heard that when electricians were checking out the main building wiring & circuitry just before occupancy, something went terribly wrong and a local power transformer exploded, killing 1 worker. Long time ago. Also remember the Airway Inn and the old Tuty's. OK food. Another was the Stockyards on Springfield St. They just closed permanently a few months ago. Also the Carriage Club in HH where numerous 'going away' luncheons were held. The place was under different ownership every time we went in there. High prices, mediocre food and slow service. I have no idea what the fascination with the place was.
historybuff 92 posts Feb 25, 2014 5:42 PM	There was another restaurant, opposite that car dealership on col glenn, close to the entrance just before going down the hill. Does anyone remember the name?
Calhoun 269 posts Feb 25, 2014 8:29 PM	That place was a number of things over the years, including "Burbanks" at one point. Nothing ever really worked out there because it was almost impossible to get across Col Glenn to get into/out of the place during rush hour and lunch time.
winterfritz 10 posts Feb 25, 2014 9:16 PM	Calhoun nailed it, the name was on the tip of my tongue…just couldn’t come up with it. And…..that is where the Airway Inn was, right? The auto dealership across the street was “Richardson’s” and that is where the Casano’s was…….???? Forgot all about Robert Hall’s; good catch turbo! Oh, and the Sunoco was “Thomas Sunoco”, owned by Arville Thomas……..I’ve got a couple of stories about this guy………..
historybuff 95 posts Feb 25, 2014 11:18 PM	Calhoun had it, Winter, but that’s not where the Airway Inn was. It was about a quarter of a mile East on the South side of Col. Glenn Highway. As mentioned previously, it burned down, but I believe the building housing Burbank’s is still there but closed. Maybe Calhoun can verify that. I don’t get out that way much anymore. I used to get out there to the Museum and also a great event; the Large Scale Radio Model Planes, which unfortunately the “Sequester” killed….(unnecessarily, I might add)
winterfritz 11 posts Feb 26, 2014 5:59 AM	You might be right about that historybuff, been awhile since I was out that way. My first job was picking sweet corn at the farm (Gerlaugh's) that was just up the hill from the Orbit Inn. I grew up right behind that farm. Also,if you went southwest from the Airway Inn, there was a real interesting place for us kids called "Sturgill's Junk Yard"......you couldn't see it from Col. Glenn...... Last Edited by winterfritz on Feb 26, 2014 5:59 AM
joeferrara 48 posts Feb 26, 2014 8:35 AM	Burbank's was a Cincinnati-based operation and the food was so good, I would go down to Sharonville just for their Bar-B-Q chicken. I was ecstatic when they opened the place on Col Glenn, but it was too good to last. Within just a few months, the entire menu had changed--and not for the better. They closed in the mid or late 90s I think. Several other businesses have come and gone in that location. There's a Chinese buffet restaurant now where Robert Hall used to be. The food is good, but the selection a bit too limited.
Doug68 175 posts Feb 26, 2014 1:06 PM	Someone mentioned the old Maplegrove Restaurant and Bar.....Joe Bissett (the former owner of the Grub Steak now deceased) used to tend bar there many years ago.
Perry401 166 posts Feb 26, 2014 5:22 PM	As college students (and later research employees) at Wright State in the 1970's, we used to hang out at the Airway Inn with our instructors and/or fellow employees. A very laid back place -- on the one hand military types with uniforms and close cropped hair, and on the other long haired students. Everyone got along fine however, and as far as I know, there never was any fights or even harassment. In any event, one day we were talking with "Peggy" and she said they had been offered a buyout of the land by Holiday Inn. Holiday in wanted to build their motel here at one time, knowing that there would be an entrance to I-675 nearby. The restaurant actually owned a large parcel of land that contained many acres more than where the parking lot and bar stood. Peggy said they turned down this and repeated other offers from Holiday Inn. Soon after, the place burnt down. I always wondered if this was arson in an attempt to get the property for other uses.
winterfritz 12 posts Feb 26, 2014 5:26 PM	I did find this: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.551148781596575.1073741847.168110963233694&type=1
winterfritz 13 posts Feb 27, 2014 9:08 AM	Yep Historybuff…..it sure has changed around there. It was a great place to grow up. I recall having to time one’s departure from the plat I lived in (Grange View Acres) with base traffic on Grange Hall Road…….you just didn’t leave the plat around 8-9 in the morning or around 4-5 in the evening. You are pretty much on the mark with the location of the junkyard. It was in a hollow but more or less directly behind the Airway Inn. I’d shoot groundhogs for the farmer I worked for (Gerlaugh) and take them to one of the guys at the junkyard (Sturgill’s) and he would eat them. Looking at the pics of the Airway Inn, I also recall that there was a veterinarian across the street too………and at the intersection of New Germany-Trebein Road & Grange Hall there was some sort of small firehouse sub-station…….I think I have a photo of it indicating that it was associated with the Fairborn F.D.
Calhoun 272 posts Feb 27, 2014 12:55 PM	Perry-- Rumors the Airway Inn fire was no accident were not uncommon at the time. I think many people thought the owner torched the place for the insurance money, a belief given some degree of credence when the bar was not rebuilt. Had not heard the "Holiday Inn" angle, however. In the meantime, the land where the Inn had been sat empty for what, 25 years? Does that mean "Peggy" hung on to the land for that long? There were also rumors about a couple Beavercreek restaurants, both owned by the same guy apparently, that burned. Don't remember names, but the first was on Dayton-Xenia Rd, just west of Fairfield. It sat just about where the Newcomer Funeral Home is currently. The second was in the old school building on the south side of Dayton-Xenia just west of Factory Road. The latter one was a steak house, the wife and ate there several times in the mid 90s. Good food, but never busy. Last Edited by Calhoun on Feb 27, 2014 12:56 PM
winterfritz 14 posts Feb 27, 2014 8:02 PM	I forgot about those two restaurants on Dayton-Xenia Road Calhoun………..the one near Fairfield Road was small and had a German name…..something like “Danube Haus” or “Edelweiss Haus” and had a castle motif on the outside…….. and there’s always been a diner of some kind across the street from it……might not be now, I haven’t been out that way in a while……. The second restaurant, by Factory Road…hmm……..I remember it burning down and recall some sort of investigation….Beavercreek High School students could park their cars there but I can’t recall if the restaurant was there before or after I graduated in ’73…………..
Calhoun 274 posts Feb 27, 2014 9:33 PM	Winterfritz-- I graduated BHS in 74, the old school building sat seemingly forgotten until the early 90s when it was refurbed into the steak house. As you said, it's primary use until then was for student parking there during school hours or for overflow parking at the "Beaver Grill". Are you and HISTORYBUFF still in the area? Sounds like we could spend a few hours swapping stories over coffee (or beer I suppose). Last Edited by Calhoun on Feb 27, 2014 9:34 PM
KennyE11 169 posts Feb 27, 2014 11:02 PM	Not trying to deviate from the topic, just addressing historybuff's earlier post... The Tall Timbers Supper Club was located at 5785 Old Troy Pike (Rt. 202) in Huber Heights. The restaurant closed for good in 1996, and sat empty for years. The building had a history, built by Benjamin Van Cleve around 1797. Efforts were made to save the building, however it was razed in 2010. Google Maps satellite view indicates an empty lot at that location. Sad! We used to enjoy that restaurant when I was a kid... There are other topics on this blog that address the Tall Timbers.
Calhoun 275 posts Feb 28, 2014 8:31 AM	Historybuff- I was at WP from 81-2011. Ate at the NCO Club more often than the O Club, it was cheaper and the food was better. The whole military club culture has changed, however, due to the emphasis on preventing drunk driving. I remember Steve Kirk doing live spots during his show for Tall Timbers. He always ended it by talking about how beautiful the waitresses were. Something like, "TT, where the food is great and the waitresses all look like Brigitte Bardot, except (name) who looks like Sophia Loren".
dcreep 1 post Mar 22, 2014 6:06 PM	Yes, there was a fire on the roof of the Avionics Bldg. The Dayton Fire Dept. sent an aerial ladder to help the Base Fire Dept. as I saw that truck on it way to the scene. I do not remember the year of the fire. I remember the Airway Inn, too. One burger and fries would fill me up! Winterfritz, I mowed the grass at the Gerlaugh's Farm, at least, once. I remember it because I received a bee sting on my ankle while mowing. I lived next to Page Manor at this time. Last Edited by dcreep on Mar 22, 2014 6:07 PM
winterfritz 21 posts Mar 22, 2014 6:21 PM	Interesting dcreep, I’m glad that there is someone out there that can validate my claim of the fire at the Avionics Tower…..I was beginning to doubt my own memory. If you mowed the grass at the Gerlaugh farm I might have bumped into you….I was there in the late 60’s to early 70’s……..Clarence and his son, Ed owned the place……wife’s name was Jessie. I picked sweet corn, bailed hay, shot ground hogs and did other odds and ends there. Do you remember when the bank in Page Manor was robbed? Oh, and the Beavercreek restaurants on Dayton-Xenia Road……….the one that was near Bellbrook-Fairfield Road was called “La Mache’s Danube Haus” and had a Hungarian theme with a gargoyle on the roof……the other one near the high school………..the same guy who owned La Mache’s opened it up after he torched La Mache’s and in time torched that place too…and rumor has it, that before he came to the area he had another restaurant somewhere else that he……………….you guessed it, torched….. Anyway, I was surprised to hear that the building that was near the current high school, was the original Beavercreek High School……….even before the high school was West Main…………..
Calhoun 285 posts Mar 23, 2014 11:50 AM	No, don't remember Country Squire. Where was it? Yes, "La Mache's" sounds right. Never ate there, but did eat at the steak house. The latter still maintained a great deal of BHS memorabilia, including lots of class photographs from way back. Seems like there was also a trophy case with old BHS sports items as well. Hopefully that stuff didn't burn with the building, a lot of it would have been almost impossible to replace. Did the own of the restaurants get prosecuted for arson? Once is pity, twice is a coincidence, but three times? Some fire/legal authority must have seen a pattern.
dcreep 4 posts Mar 24, 2014 7:06 PM	Winterfritz, I went to Stebbins and knew little about the Greene County side of the line. My mother bought corn at Gerlaugh's, and I do not remember mowing there more than once because of those bees! I do not remember the bank robbery, but I remember the fire at the Page Manor Shopping Center and the fire at Throckmorton's in the Spin-Kemp Shopping Center. I chased sirens back then...on my bicycle. I have a feeling that I am about five years older than you.

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