What’s the idea for the restaurant?

A wagon. A covered wagon. It brings back old memories of life on the trail, cook-outs over the open fire, running out of provisions, scurvy, fear from raiding parties, the silent simmering fury of your wife who’s been uprooted from civilization to make this perilous journey.

I don’t know.

And there’s a full bar.

Okay, let’s give it a shot.

The ground floor has nothing to do with the rest of the building, but they weren’t concerned with sensitive renovations in those days. The building probably preceded the renovation by 50 years or so. The sign, the painted add on the wall, the marble facade - it all detracts from the handsome old building.

The sign is weathered, which suggests the picture was taken long after it went up. Looks like a late 30s style.

But air-conditioning was a part of the post-war boon. Perhaps they added that part later, along with the stylized cow testicles. (Or yokes. Your call.)

Looming in the back is the Metropolitan Building, which was knocked down in 1961; it looks occupied here, so I’m putting this picture at 1957.