Do You Remember Weylu's in Saugus?

Photo Credit: Brian Cummings Photography

By Liz Taurasi

At 6 a.m. Sunday morning, North Shore photographer Brian Cummings took a step into the past, photographing the abandoned Weylu’s Restaurant high up on a hill overlooking Route 1 in Saugus. His images show what’s left of what was once one of the largest Chinese restaurants ever built and one that brought folks from across the state to indulge in an opulence inside the more than 50,000-square-foot dining establishment.

When it was built back in the 1980s, it took nearly three full years for construction to be complete and cost an estimated $13 million. It was over the top opulence, from the moment you pulled in with valet parking and employees at every turn, to great food and atmosphere among fish filled indoor fountains and gold accents at every turn. It was the place to be on a weekend night.

Since Weylu’s shuttered its doors in 1999 following foreclosure, the property has been sold yet time stands still within its walls as the once lavishly decorated restaurant sits in ruins waiting for its next fate.

View all the incredible images on Photographer Brian Cummings’ Facebook page >>

In 2013, the restaurant was sold for $4 million, less than half the asking price of $10.7 million, to developers who planned to use it as part of a 45-acre commercial development, according to the Boston Business Journal. In August, the BBJ reported the new owner was considering his options for the property.