Griff's Hamburgers (Demolished)
Denver, CO
Photo courtesy Robin McCracken

The lights at Griff's Hamburgers were a familiar invitation along South Broadway in Denver. If a double cheeseburger sounded good, this little burger stand knew how to get your attention. The pointed roof added another reason to stop, especially with a camera along. 01-13

Griff’s began as a chain in 1960, using distinctive A frame buildings and its clown mascot, Griffy, to stand apart from the competition. The Denver restaurant at 742 South Broadway became a longtime local favorite, serving burgers and shakes from a building with plenty of roadside personality.

UPDATE: The South Broadway Griff’s closed in August 2015, and the building was demolished in 2017 for redevelopment. The chain continued elsewhere, but Denver lost its familiar burger stop. These photographs preserve the lights and architecture from when another order was still waiting at the window. 06-26

Arby's Roast Beef
Denver, CO
Photo courtesy Robin McCracken

The oversized hat at Arby's proves that a familiar chain can still offer something worth photographing. This Denver restaurant had a newer building, but the glowing sign held onto the earlier roadside look. That’s a hat you don’t mistake for anything else. 07-11

Brothers Leroy and Forrest Raffel opened the first Arby’s in Boardman, Ohio, in 1964. Its western theme included a restaurant shaped like a covered wagon and a giant cowboy hat sign. The hat became the chain’s calling card, advertising roast beef above streets better known for hamburger stands.

UPDATE: Arby’s remains in business, although many original hat signs have disappeared during remodeling. This photograph captures an example still illuminated in 2011. Without a precise address, its current status remains unconfirmed, but the design remains one of fast food’s most recognizable roadside creations. 06-26