Steak n’ Shake

This is the first location of Steak n’ Shake!

Augustus “Gus” and Edith Belt moved to Normal, Illinois in 1926 and opened a tire service station on South Center Street in Bloomington. By 1931, Gus had expanded and purchased several more service stations, including this site. In 1932 it would become known as The Shell Inn — a gas station and restaurant and the future home of Steak n’ Shake.

Gus pumped the gas while Edith fried and served fish, turtle, and chicken from the other side of the remodeled shop. By 1933, they began offering steak burgers, jumbo milkshakes, and curb service. And in 1934, the Belts officially turned the service station into a drive-in and began using the Steak ‘n Shake name.

The building seen here experienced multiple fires; one in the 1960s and then again in February 1975, leaving all but one wall destroyed. But the company rebuilt and continued to serve steakburgers and milkshakes at this location until 1999. It was decided to close this location due to the proximity of the Sugar Creek floodplain. Today the building is home to Monical’s Pizza, who remodeled the building and began operating there in 2000.