ST. ANN, Mo. — Anyone who grew up in St. Louis in the 1940s, 50s or 60s probably remembers driving to the Airway Centre drive-in to catch an outdoor movie. The popular spot opened in 1948 and closed in the 1980s.
The shopping center has gone through several changes over the years, but through all of them, the iconic majorette twirling her baton stood tall.
In its peak, the neon sign was lit up and welcomed visitors into the drive-in theater.
“This is where you came to hang out, to dine and just socialize,” said Maurice Gayden, who has lived in St. Ann for 10 years.
“It does just instantly spark a feeling of nostalgia,” he added.
But the latest change had residents worried the sign would fade away with history.
Schnucks announced it was buying several Shop ‘n Save locations—including the one in the Airway Centre on St. Charles Rock Road.
One of the signs below the dancing majorette was the old Shop ‘n Save logo. With the grocery store changing to Schnucks, locals were concerned about what could happen to the decades-old piece of neon nostalgia.
When Gayden found out the sign could be in jeopardy, he took to Facebook and created a page hoping to secure the sign in St. Ann.
“Signs aren’t really done this way anymore. There’s not motion. There’s not neon used. That has all of those elements in it,” he told 5 On Your Side.
Luckily for St. Ann residents, the majorette has more twirling to do.
Schnucks told 5 On Your Side it is committed to keep the sign in place.
"It's something that keeps us tied to the history of the past,” Gayden added.
