Mount Airy can lay claim to several larger-than-life murals that adorn walls downtown — and the nearby Bannertown community now has become home to one of its own.
Not only does the 45-foot-long mural painted on a wall outside Speedy Chef welcome travelers on South Main Street to Bannertown, it also contains images reflecting the history of the dining establishment that opened in the 1950s.
A sparkling 1957 Chevy and an early 1950s Ford pickup now grace the once-empty wall along with stunning depictions of 1960s muscle cars including a Pontiac Firebird and Chevelle SS.
Of course, with a restaurant the focal point of it all, the multi-faceted mural includes large faces enjoying ice cream treats, among other artistic enhancements that readily catch the eye.
“It was definitely a way to brighten up the place,” Speedy Chef owner Andrew Jones said Thursday afternoon when more than 50 people attended a ribbon-cutting event for the new mural which included Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce representatives.
“We decided to do the mural because there’s always been a wall that was there, but it was just blank,” Jones added. It also had been damaged over the years by motorists backing vehicles with trailer hitches into the structure.
To accomplish a transformation to the mural, Jones looked no further than Tim White, a Blountville, Tennessee, artist who previously painted a mural on a wall downtown of The Easter Brothers musical group.
Jones said he and his dad Fred, also known for local restaurant ownership, served up a few basic design ideas for the mural, which were expanded on by White.
“He’s the talented one who made this happen,” the Speedy Chef owner said of the artist, who attended Thursday’s mural dedication.
Long history celebrated
The lineage of Speedy Chef dates to the late 1950s, when it originally was a Tastee-Freez outlet, a fact also highlighted on the mural.
“It was before I was born,” acknowledged Jones, 27, who bought Speedy Chef in June 2022.
But he has familiarized himself with the history of the establishment that has specialized in staples such as hamburgers and hot dogs along with meal plates featuring flounder, barbecue and hamburger steak.
“This has been a very successful business for many years,” chamber official Steve Yokeley, interim president and CEO, said in remarks during Thursday’s gathering.
Andrew Jones also offered another tidbit, the fact that his father’s first job was working at the Bannertown eatery. Fred Jones later would launch his own restaurant ownership career locally, most notably the longtime CF Jones operation.
In embarking on the mural project, Andrew mentioned that Pepsi was a major sponsor for the work that began in mid-April.
White said it took about four weeks’ worth of painting to complete the mural, off and on with weather, which could have been shortened if not for countless folks stopping by to chat and share their memories of Speedy Chef.
In addition to appearing in his role as mural artist, White, who is a bluegrass musician, played tunes inside Speedy Chef Thursday with some fellow performers. They entertained both event attendees and restaurant patrons chowing down.
White is known for his work with the band Troublesome Hollow along with hosting and performing on the nationally syndicated television program, “Song of the Mountains.”
Plus for Bannertown
The completed project at Bannertown is joining the local family of murals such as those honoring Andy Griffith, Donna Fargo and Melva Houston along with The Easter Brothers.
“I think it’s another way to tell people, ‘you’re in Mount Airy,’” Andrew Jones said, and especially the fact they have arrived in Bannertown.
Its claims to fame include being mentioned on an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” titled “Opie’s Fortune.”
That segment concerns the youth finding a wallet lost by a man who lived in Bannertown, according to the script.
Chances are, many people now will be seeking out that community thanks to the inviting new mural.
“Hopefully, it will be some kind of tourism draw,” White said.
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