Yesterant

Description — Permanently Closed

Champaign’s legendary Red Lion Inn was a music venue that operated from 1966 to 1981.¹ Starting in 1972 Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan sporatically operated out of the Red Lion.²

In 1971 a small piece published in The Daily Illini announced that Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan was born on Saturday, April 17 measuring 15 inches and weighing 4 pounds, 6 ounces.³ Over the next several years the “Flying Tomato Brothers”⁴ Ralph Senn and Joe Ream grew an innovative, cleverly-marketed pizza parlor at the University of Illinois into a multi-state college and shopping mall tradition.⁵ The two soon literally became the Flying Tomato Brothers as they incorporated hot-air balloon rides and other balloon-related promotions into their business.⁶ As Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan expanded, “Flying Tomato” was chosen as the restaurant name in southern states.⁷

In the 2000s business was tough for the Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan and Flying Tomato restaurants, and many of the locations shut down. Today, only a small number remain in operation.^{8 9}

Unfortunately, the association of Red Lion Inn and Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan ended around 1974.¹⁰

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