We’re sure you have all seen the hilarious “Porky’s” movies with the antics of wild teenagers and bouts with the rotund Porky and the local police. Porky’s appears in all the “Porky’s” movies and was the reason for the name of the movie.

For those who are unfamiliar with Porky’s, perhaps this neon sign will bring back a few memories. Porky’s is located on University Avenue in St. Paul, on the same small lot it started on in 1953.

A red and white drive-in burger joint with a canopy and a simple menu became a Mecca for hot rodders and non-hot rodders alike, since the car craze began in the 50’s. Back then university was a main thruway, and revving engines and teens out cruising could be found from dusk till dawn on any weekend.

Generations have created their own memories, and a few small videos of Porky’s can even be found on StreetFire.net. During the Car Craft Summer Nationals, and back to the ’50’s car shows held at the St. Paul fairgrounds, the parking lot was packed with all makes and models of hot rods for hours on end.

For years the St. Paul police department has harassed the car enthusiast at Porky’s. Granted there have been some displays of smokey burnouts and a few street drag moments, but St. Paul and University Avenue would not have become known state-wide had it not been for this one small drive in restaurant.

An auction for everything that was Porky’s ended April 6th. The lot is being demolished to make way for a light rail. For a site that has been a mecca for hot rodders for 53 years, it seems so unjust to be dealt such a fate.

One MSRA member had a brilliant idea, petitioning the state fair commission to bring the front portion of the building and signs from Porky’s to the fairgrounds site, and have the restaurant operational during the state fair. The hot rod crowd of Minnesota has suffered a massive loss with this historic cruise spot being removed.

If you never saw any of the Porky’s movies, check out Netflix or the local Walmart’s five dollar DVD bin. “Porky’s” will always be an icon of hot rods and good times. But also reminds me of a line from a Paul Newman movie “Cool hand Luke,” “What we got here is a failure to communicate.” Let’s hope this doesn’t happen to other historical cruise spots.