Roxy Hamburgers (Demolished)
St Joseph, MI Photo courtesy Chibbqking
Roxy Hamburgers welcomed customers along Blue Star Highway in St. Joseph with neon and a dining room full of vintage memorabilia. Model cars, movie-star photos and a working jukebox supplied plenty to admire while waiting for lunch. 07-09
Opened in 1966, Roxy’s built a following for its signature burger topped with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and chopped green olives. The food and nostalgic surroundings kept customers returning for more than fifty years.
UPDATE: Roxy’s closed in 2017, and the building was demolished for redevelopment. The vintage neon sign’s fate remains unconfirmed. 06-26
Mr. J's Dawg 'N Burger
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Chibbqking
Mr. J's Dawg 'N Burger has served downtown Chicago appetites since the late 1970s. Hot dogs, charbroiled burgers, gyros and Italian beef give customers plenty of reasons to stop near State Street. 07-09
The no-frills counter and familiar sign suit a place built around quick meals rather than changing trends. Sometimes a good burger and late-night hours are enough to make a neighborhood favorite.
UPDATE: Mr. J’s remains open, with its familiar sign welcoming hungry customers into the early morning hours.
Plymouth Super Center
Plymouth, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Plymouth Super Center is proof that some roadside businesses refuse to be ordinary. Sure, you can fill up your tank, get your oil changed, or run your car through the wash, but that's only the beginning. This place was built to be a true one-stop shop, offering all kinds of services you wouldn't normally expect to find at a gas station.
Inside, customers could rent post office boxes, ship packages through DHL and other carriers, drop off dry cleaning, and take care of a few other errands before getting back on the road. It's the kind of independently owned place that gives you a reason to stop, even if you don't need gas.
The Plymouth Super Center is still open today and continues operating as a multi-service facility, although parts of the interior have changed over the years. A Biggby Coffee was added around 2010, and I couldn't verify whether the giant cheeseburger or the original grille are still there.
UPDATE: Plymouth Super Center remains open in Plymouth, Michigan, continuing to offer a variety of automotive and business services. The original grille and giant cheeseburger décor could not be verified. 06-26
The exterior of the Plymouth Super Center
Plymouth, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The interior grille area of the Plymouth Center Center with its hanging burger off the ceiling
Plymouth, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
White House No. 1 (Gone)
Logansport, IN Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
White House No. 1 was one of those little diners that made every road trip a little more memorable. The place wasn't fancy, but that's exactly what made it special. Inside, the tiny restaurant was usually packed, with just a handful of counter stools and a few booths where locals gathered for breakfast and burgers.
One of the highlights of my visit was watching longtime grill cook Lester Hettinger at work. While I waited for a seat, I noticed a newspaper article on the wall celebrating his 50 years behind the grill. The article was already about a decade old, meaning Lester had been cooking there for around 60 years by the time I stopped in. Seeing him work the grill with decades of experience was every bit as memorable as the food.
White House No. 1 (Gone)
Logansport, IN Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Lester was making a breakfast jumble that wasn't even listed on the menu, so I asked what it was and he made one for me, too. It was excellent. Of course, I couldn't leave without trying one of the diner's famous burgers, and it didn't disappoint. Before heading back out on the road, I picked up a T-shirt as a reminder of one of those great little places you never forget.
After serving Logansport for 73 years, White House No. 1 closed in 2014. Like so many independent diners, it earned a loyal following through good food, friendly service, and familiar faces behind the counter. Places like this are becoming harder to find, which makes memories like this all the more special. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info.
UPDATE: White House No. 1 closed permanently in 2014 after more than seven decades in business. The historic diner has since been vacated, and its iconic sign has been removed. 06-26
Bates Hamburgers
Livonia, MI Photo courtesy Mike Engle
The white exterior at Bates Hamburgers may suggest a larger chain, but this Livonia slider stop has remained a family operation since opening in 1959.
A small counter overlooks the grill, where burgers cook over onions in the familiar Detroit style. No enormous dining room needed to build a loyal following.
UPDATE: Bates remains open, retaining its historic building and classic roadside character. 06-26
Roxy Hamburgers (Demolished)
Plymouth Super Center
White House No. 1 (Gone)
White House No. 1 (Gone)
Bates Hamburgers
