A&W Root Beer was founded in 1919 with the inventions of both root beer and root beer stands. A&W continued setting trends with the very first franchising in the late 1920s. By the 1960s, A&W had 2,400 outlets nationwide. For more, see this website. The first three pages of this section start with A&W's triangular, pylon building design. These locations are organized alphabetically by state.

former A&W Root Beer [gone] Benson, AZ

This former A&W Root Beer housed Reb's Cafe & Coffee Shop from 1992-2017. It closed just a month after this photo was taken. In 2019, the building began housing Wild Dogs. In 2021, the building was gutted by a fire and demolished.

former A&W Root Beer Buena Park, CA

This former A&W Root Beer in Buena Park now houses the Han Yang Restaurant. [map]

former A&W Root Beer Pomona, CA	former A&W Root Beer Lynwood, CA

This former A&W Root Beer in Pomona is now housing the Original Troy's Burgers. [map] This former A&W Root Beer in Lynwood has been here since at least 1965. The building has housed Casa Jimenez since at least 2008. [map]

former A&W Root Beer Hanford, CA

This former A&W Root Beer opened in the late 1940s. It remained a walk-up stand with a drive-in canopy and car hops until 2022. The signs have been removed. The building is now housing Tim's Drive-in. There are very few "wedge pylon" buildings still operating as A&Ws. [map]

former A&W Root Beer Baldwin Park, CA

This former A&W Root Beer now houses Gar-Duno's Taco King. [map]

former A&W Root Beer San Luis Obispo, CA

This former Aformer A&W Root Beer now houses Taco De Mexico. [map]

former A&W Root Beer Mariposa, CA	former A&W Root Beer Alturas, CA

This former former A&W Root Beer in Mariposa now houses the Happy Burger Diner. [map] This former former A&W Root Beer in Alturas now houses the Lazy B Grill. [map]

former A&W Root Beer Arvin, CA

former A&W Root Beer Lamont, CA

These former A&W Root Beer drive-ins housed Frosty King Drive-ins. I suspect they were both owned by the same person. There are other Frosty Kings in California but these are the only two that I know of that occupy former A&Ws. The Arvin location is now housing Burger Time and has been painted orange. [Arvin map]; [Lamont map]

former A&W Root Beer Colorado Springs, CO

This former A&W Root Beer may have been built in 1963. The building has housed used car dealerships since at least 2007. [map]

Iowa: Charles City

former A&W Root Beer Danville, IL

This is apparently a former A&W Root Beer. The building housed a K&W Root Beer before it closed. It had been abandoned for many years. This photo is from 2009. By 2015, the building was housing Fox Auto World and the pylon was gone. The building is vacant now. [map]

former A&W Root Beer Elkhart, IL

This former A&W Root Beer opened in 1965. Around 1973, it became the Simonton Lake Drive-in. The "Root Beer" letters on the canopy appear to have come from a Dog N Suds. [map]

A&W (page 2)

A&W (page 3)

A&W (page 4)

A&W (page 5)

A&W (page 6)

A&W (page 7)

A&W (page 8)

A&W (page 9)

Eateries Main Page

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