78 Magazine

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A Walk Through Time- Sherer's Drive-In

Sherer’s Drive-In first opened in 1959 on the Highway 78 bypass in Jasper. The site soon became the favorite hang-out on Friday and Saturday nights for Walker County teens. By the mid 1960s, two more locations had opened up: on US 78 in Sumiton and on US 45 in Tupelo, MS. All had the distinctive A-frame with "wings" for car stalls.Besides being known for its burgers and fries, Sherer’s was also locally famous for another reason; the room behind the large window of the A-frame was an auxiliary radio broadcasting booth for beloved WWWB radio disc jockey Johnny McPoland. On weekdays during the 1960s and 1970s, “Johnny Mack” could be seen perched in his booth overlooking the Sherer’s parking lot and Highway 78 and spin records, often flipping the microphone on during a song to say “Toodle-Loo!” to listeners waving as they passed by. The famous building is gone now, and a convenience store now sits on the site where teenagers once cruised around on weekends.