Hi-Way Tavern

463 E Vandalia, Edwardsville, IL
Phone:

East < GO > West

Frank & Dora Catalano opened the Hi-Way Tavern in 1934 and operated it until the late 1940s as a combination tavern, cafe and liquor store using the simple slogan, "Good Cheer and Good Beer".

The right half of this building dates back to around 1918 or so, the left half was added in 1950 when the business was expanded next door with a brick addition to the cafe in front of the next door house. The house remained as a residence, but the whole building got sheathed in brick so that from the front it looks like a single structure.

After Frank and Dora purchased that house their relatives, the Lautners, lived in it and operated the cafe from 1947 to the early 1960s. This was the first restaurant in town to advertise Pizza Pie. The business later became Neumann's Bar & Restaurant, which operated for 25 years.

The business was closed for a couple of years but reopened again as the Hi-Way Tavern in 2014, the same year that Frank and Dora were inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame.

The re-opened tavern didn't last too long though and in 2018 the building became a flower shop.

Photo(s): 2016