Leyh Building

Leyh Building. 1699-1633 E. 11th Street. John J. Leyh, a local grocer, constructed the two-story brick building in 1921 to house his store on the first floor and apartments above. Clerks from the grocery store often lived in the apartments upstairs. John and his wife, Maude, operated the grocery store for about ten years, after which it became Theo Wilkes barber shop. Bass DeVina Tailors and Furriers occupied the space next to Wilkes. , In 1953, Ruby Rodriguez moved her restaurant, El Rancho Grande, and its large neon sign from downtown Tulsa to the Leyh Building. It was one of the first Tex-Mex restaurants that westbound motorists from Chicago would encounter on Route 66; thus it became a place that travelers had the opportunity to try this cuisine for the first time. They still serve locals and travelers today; the "Nighthawk" dish was named one of the "Five Greatest Mexican Meals in the United States" by Gustavo Arellano's book, "Taco USA," a history of the cuisine.