Luna Cafe

201 E Chain of Rocks Rd, Mitchell, IL 62040
Phone: 618-931-3152

East < GO > West

The Luna Cafe was built in the mid 1920s on what would become Route 66 a couple of years later, other reports use 1926 and 1930 as construction or opening dates. When it was built the upstairs guest rooms may have used by the railroad workers with the restaurant and bar on the main . Legend has it that those guest rooms may have occasionally been used by ladies of the night with the cherry in the neon sign out front lit up when they were available. I don't know if that's true or not.

GPS: 38.761774, -90.088772

The Luna Cafe sign was installed sometimes in the 1930's and in the 1960's the name and man-in-the-moon sign was added to the front of the building. The neon sign was damaged by storms and removed and the neon sign out front went dark after forty years. Besides the nifty neon lettering and cocktail glass the arrow featured about 150 incandescent bulbs on each side of the sign.

In 2011 there was a re-lighning ceremonies for both signs. Restoration of the main sign was helped along by a grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program.

Photo(s): 2012