On Wed 18 Jun 2008 10:02:51a, Lou Decruss told us...

> On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:54:20 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>>On Tue 17 Jun 2008 05:43:57p, Steve Pope told us...
>>
>>> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>>>
>>>>I really like In 'n Out, but there's not one located within a quick
>>>>drive for us. When we're in the areas they exist, we usually stop
>>>>there for a burger.
>>>
>>> Is there still a Bob's Big Boy or two out your way?
>>>
>>> S.
>>>
>>
>>No longer in Phoenix. The last one closed 3-4 years ago. However, they
>>are still prevalent in the midwest.
>
> I wouldn't call them prevalent in the midwest.
>
> In 1936 Bob Wian sold his 1933 Desoto roadster to but a 10 stool
> lunch counter from two elderly ladies in Glendale, Ca. He called it
> Bob's Pantry. He eventually became mayor.
>
> A year after opening he cut the rolls twice and add two patties of
> beef. It took, and the name changed to Big Boy. The logo came from a
> napkin sketch. There were many copycats including the Big Mac.
>
> Marriott purchased Big boy in 1967. In 1992 they sold it to an
> investment group and most franchises converted to Coco's or Carrows's.
>
> In 1987 the Elias brothers, a Michigan franchiser purchased the name.
> At one time they were the only store. I think it was actually in
> Glendale, Ca.
>
> It seems they're adding lots of locations, but only one in Illinois.
>
>
> Here's their scaled down version of history and locations.
>
> http://www.bigboy.com/history1.asp
>
> Lou

Wow, they certainly have scaled down. At one time in the greater Cleveland
area they seemed almost as common as McDonald's, although they were under
the name of "Manner's Big Boy" at that time. Down towards Akron, they were
under the name of "Frisch's Big Boy". Some time later they all were
renamed Bob's Big Boy and then gradually the numbers shrank.



--
Wayne Boatwright
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Wednesday, 06(VI)/18(XVIII)/08(MMVIII)
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'I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay...'
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