Roadside Wonders
Tacky, Kitchy, Big, Weird and funky roadside finds
Air Transport Command
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Air Transport Command Restaurant
~closed~
update: demolished
143 North Dupont Highway
New Castle, Delaware
submitted by “wendyvee”
They say that “She who hesitates is lost” … and it certainly is true of my quest to dine at the Air Transport Command Restaurant in New Castle, Delaware.
wendyvee says:
The ATC was a World War II themed bar and eatery with views of an operating air traffic control tower and several runways on the adjacent airfield (similar to the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant in Canton, Ohio). In addition to the barbed wire and “bombed building” architectural touches, it once had tanks and other military equipment parked outside the building. See the DC-3 that was parked here. It was painted olive green to resemble a military transport plane.
Several times, over the years, I have been in the vicinity of the ATC and I never had opportunity/time to stop. I once came close, but that was just after it closed sometime around 2005. I believe it briefly re-opened at some point in late 2007 or early 2008, but closed for good before I visited again.
In the late Summer of ’09, I was in the area and thought that I would ride by the property to see if anything remained. Sadly, only the main structure and some sparse decorations survived. Several people in a nearby diner told me that the building was scheduled for demolition (oh, the irony!). I imagine that it is completely gone by now, but I don’t have any confirmation of that.
I love your comments. Have you been to the ATC or a similar restaurant? Tell me below!
On a side note ….
I have always admired “urban exploration” enthusiasts who get those great shots of abandoned buildings and factories etc.,. I’m such a scaredy cat that I imagine one of the following happening if I ever attempt my own urban explorations:
a) I would be arrested, convicted , and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor for domestic terrorism – all for my (sure to be poorly composed) picture of a broken window and some graffiti
or
b) I would stand an unacceptable chance of being devoured by green, bloodthirsty, foaming-at-the-mouth, roaming Zombies
or
c) I would fall through rotted flooring and perish (slowly and painfully) in the moldy basement of some ancient insane asylum that I thought was really “cool-looking” just minutes prior to my plunge.
So, I’m obviously not much of what one would label a risk taker. The abandoned ATC seemed pretty safe and harmless. It’s along a busy four lane and bordered by a Home Depot and similar retail spaces. It was broad daylight. What could possible happen to our heroine?
Well, I was on the ATC property no longer than 10 minutes — and actually preparing to leave once I took one last photo of the restaurant sign at the end of the driveway. I noticed a dark blue car driving slowly from behind the building (where I had been parked just minutes prior). Yep, you guessed it! It was the local Five-Oh coming after yours truly!
Luckily, he was greatly intimidated by my imposing figure and mannerisms …. he let me go with a stern, “Take your pictures, Lady. Then scram”
He wouldn’t even pose for a picture with me 
_________________________________________________________
You can’t visit Air Transport Command anymore … but here are some other airport-themed establishments. Let me know if you go to one!
I believe that this is the company who owned the ATC at one point – Specialty Restaurants. It appears that they still have some airport venues in business.
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16 Responses to “Air Transport Command”
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Thanks for posting this website. I have very fond memories of the Air Transport Command from back in the late 70′s/early 80′s. My boyfriend used to take me there all the time. It was like visiting another world. It was fun and mysterious at the same time. Good food and good fun. I wish they had kept it open.
Thanks again. I have tried googling this for a long time and finally found it.
Sincerely
Debbie Baumgarten
Thanks for stopping-by, Debbie!
I’m so sad that I never got the chance to visit when it was still in operation. It looks like it would have been fun — and I’ve heard that their food was pretty good too
It is nice to see your pictures posted. Unfortunately, that is all that remains from the restaurant. I drove by there a couple of weeks ago and the building is gone. It deeply saddens me as I had a lot of connection with that restaurant. First, I took my wife there when we were dating for her birthday. I rented a limo and we went there and had a wonderful meal and great time.
Years later, I went to school to become a chef and actually worked at ATC. It was a great place to work and everyone really got along there. It was not uncommon to finish your shift and then head to the bar to hang out. I can remember that place really getting packed on Wednesday nights (ladies’ night) and the weekends. We would do 400 covers on Friday and Saturday nights. However, Specialty Restaurants doomed the place when the owner’s daughter took over the restaurants and decided to make it a “family restaurant” and added diner food to the menu. It caused most of the staff to leave.
They eventually attempted to revert back to an upscale restaurant but the damage was done. They never did recover and then the restaurant started falling apart financially. I moved to Texas for a while and when I returned to the area, the restaurant was out of business. From what I understand (I was told this by a former employee still working there when it closed) they started attracting a “bad” crowd when a dj or something started playing there. I do not know this to be a fact, I am just repeating what I heard. Apparently, this led to a stabbing in the parking lot one night and people started staying away. The restaurant closed but Specialty Restaurants had a deal with the New Castle Airport that they leased the land from that stipulated they had to maintain the restaurant and be open for service to cater to airport traffic. They attempted to re-open as an upscale restaurant, but only part of the dining room could be used because there was a flood in the restaurant while it was abandoned. I heard the food was actually good, but without the bar operating, only part of the dining room being open, and the bad publicity from the parking lot incident, they never were able to recover.
Sadly, the building was demolished and a part of me went with it. I wish I could have gotten a few articles from the restaurant but I found out
too late. In its time though, it was a great place to work and eat.
I worked at ATC for 5 years, and I must say that I really enjoyed working there. We were like a big family and it is sad that they are no longer in operation. I also wanted to let you know that they have not torn the building down as of yet. I really enjoyed reading this and looking at all of the pictures you took. Brings back some GREAT memories for me
)
So glad that you left a comment, Rachael. It’s nice to hear from someone who had a connection to ATC!
[...] says: Ahhh, I hate to see cool things gone by the wayside. Reminds me of my visit to Air Transport Command in [...]
Sorry to see another unique local landmark go. When my father retired from the Del. Air Guard after 40+ years, I attended his retirement party at the ATC.
It was the perfect unique theme for the area. So sad that they didn’t make a go of it
I have been searching for this for quite some time, and I’m glad I finally stumbled across SOMETHING that helped me figure out what happened to air transport!
we used to travel past air transport frequently when I was a child, and I ADORED it, from the second we pulled into the parking lot. I can see from your pictures that the vehicles and planes are gone, but it really took you back to the WWII era. Even as a kid, i was captivated.
I loved walking in to the sandbagged hallway, with a flickering electric “candle” setting the mood. The memorobilia was awesome; old uniforms, equipment, photos, etc. They set the mood even further with the old music. You could also look out the window to see the planes land and listen to the air tower. Closer to what I believe was the banquet room, was covered with photos of WWII planes and their crews. I used to examine the pictures while my parents were having coffee hoping to find my grandfather, who was a WWII airman.
I am sad to see it closed, I was hoping that someday I could take my husband there so he could experience what I loved so much about it
Thanks for sharing you memories, Winnie!
Quite a bit of the search engine traffic that I get to the site is from searches for Air Transport Command Restaurant. Apparently it is missed by many.
I worked at one time for Dupont and first frequented the ATC in ’85. I always enjoyed myself there. I was there sometime before it closed . . . had troubles near the end. Any way great memories. Thanks for the update.
Thanks for stopping by, Joe. Today must be “Chemist Day” at RoadsideWonders … you’re the second one today
Loved Air Transport Command at New Castle, DE. Just realized a few days ago that the building is demolished. So so many happy memories went with that location. This is a great loss to the area.
It was a special place for me. I am sad!
Thanks for beginning us the info. There are other similiar restaurant around the country owned by he former owner of the ATC. It is Specialty Restaurants http://www.specialtyrestaurants.com
Sadly, I drove by ATC a few weeks ago on my way back from a store in Bear only a few trees are there. The structure has been completely demolished. I am not sure if you were aware, as I didn’t read everyone’s responses but yes, may wonderful memories. My sister and her husband, (fiancee) at the time, went there to celebrate their engagement. Wonderful times also as a child, remembering the air plane that once was there. I miss the place, and It will always remain special to my family and I.
yells: SCREW YOU PEOPLE WHO TORE IT DOWN!!! SCREW YOU!!!! *tear
My dad was chief mechanic for a company that used to take it’s Westwind to Atlantic Aviation for it’s 100 hour inspections. I can still remember when I was a kid getting to go with my dad and mom on a couple of these trips. I know we ate at ATC several times and I always loved it. Sad to hear that it has been torn down.