View source for Eli's Barbecue

[[File:WSGN Sky Castle.jpg|right|thumb|375px|WSGN's Sky Castle at Eli's Drive-In in October 1956]]
'''Eli{{'}}s Barbecue''' (later '''Eli's''', '''Eli's Drive-In''' or '''Eli's Sky Castle Drive-In''') was a barbecue restaurant located at 2830 [[7th Avenue South]] in [[Lakeview]]. It was founded in [[1946]] by [[Eli Coirie]] and featured skillet-fried chicken and fresh-made pies as well as pit barbecue. The restaurant stayed open until 2:00 AM on weekends to serve late diners and provided curb service at all times.

Eli's was damaged by fire on [[March 6]], [[1950]] and was repaired by contractor [[Thomas Brasfield]], reopening later the same month. Another remodeling, with a $10,000 "all-electric kitchen," was completed in [[1956]]. Through the mid-to-late 1950s, [[WSGN-AM]] operated a "[[Sky Castle]]" broadcast booth behind the restaurant, which increased its popularity as a cruising spot for teenagers.

Coirie sold the business to [[Ed Salem]] in [[1958]] and the Sky Castle continued to operate from the parking lot of what then became [[Ed Salem's Drive-In|Ed Salem's No. 3 Drive-In]].

==References==
* [http://www.birminghamrewound.com/features/ElisBBQ(3-50).jpg Eli's Barbecue] advertisement (March 1950) {{BN}} - via [[Birmingham Rewound]]

[[Category: Former barbecue restaurants]]
[[Category: Former drive-in restaurants]]
[[Category: 7th Avenue South]]
[[Category: 29th Street South]]
[[Category: 1946 establishments]]
[[Category: 1946 buildings]]