The Hi-Lo Diner’s stainless-steel façade and glowing neon sign stand out against the night along East Lake Street, where one of Minneapolis’s most recognizable retro landmarks continues to operate inside a restored 1950s Fodero dining car. The interior’s purple and blue lighting reflects off the ribbed metal siding, giving the building the classic mid-century glow that made roadside diners iconic across the United States.

Originally built in New Jersey, this particular dining car was transported to Minnesota and fully refurbished before reopening in 2016. Its presence on Lake Street connects several eras of the corridor’s history—from early automobile culture and mid-century roadside design to Lake Street’s longstanding role as a diverse commercial spine lined with independent businesses, bars, and restaurants. Today, the Hi-Lo remains both a neighborhood gathering spot and a small architectural artifact representing the golden age of American diners.