BUSINESS OF THE WEEK: Restaurant gives students a taste of the '50s
Though the 1950s are long gone, one Mount Pleasant restaurant is keeping the atmosphere alive – and they deliver.
Pixie restaurant, 302 N. Mission St., is a blast from the past from the inside out. Neon signs, Elvis cut-outs, an old jukebox and checkered tile help to encapsulate the theme. Pixie employees also make the food easy to get, as they deliver to residence halls and the local Mount Pleasant area.
Dewitt sophomore Sam Larkins loves how Pixie has incorporated the burger-to-go.
“I love that it is a burger joint that delivers burgers and milkshakes,” Larkins said.
Megan Kehoe, manager at Pixie, said the restaurant holds a perfect atmosphere for CMU students to go hang out and enjoy their “Hound Dog” Value Meal.
The meal includes two of their famous coney dogs along with a side of fries and a drink. Kehoe said the coney sauce is what started Pixie in the first place.
“Pixie was opened by Norman LaBelle in 1948,” Kehoe said. “His wife had a coney sauce that everyone loved, so they changed their used car lot into Pixie and it was a hit.”
Pixie was the first drive-in restaurant in Mount Pleasant and was complete with car-hop waitresses and inexpensive food. It quickly became a popular restaurant as CMU grew throughout the years.
Midland sophomore Katie Schnurr remembers going to the restaurant after sporting events with her team, where they would all grab Pixy Stix for the road.
“I like the fact that they have Pixy Stix, and you can take as many as you want,” Schnurr said. “I remember grabbing a ton for the ride home and my whole team was hopped up on sugar; it was so fun.”
Nearly 60 years after opening, Pixie is still the destination for students to go and grab a bite to eat.
Lansing sophomore Harleigh Putmon said it is her favorite restaurant, largely due to its proximity to campus.
“The slushies are traditional slushies (and) way better than the kind from a gas station,” Putmon said. “I also like looking at all the plaques on the wall that say who has finished the challenge, which is eating six coneys or 10 Bitties (small hamburgers) in one hour.”
Students who are interested in Pixie's atmosphere can check out the restaurant from 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Sundays.
Have an idea for next week's Business of the Week? Email us at metro@cm-life.com!
