Ever thought a boll weevil might make a good lunch stop? The Boll Weevil in Escondido offered something more appetizing than its name suggested, serving big Steerburgers to hungry locals and passing travelers. A little insect, a pretty sizable meal. 07-03
The Burger That Ate L.A. (Gone
)
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
A giant cheeseburger taking a bite out of City Hall? That was part of the fun at The Burger That Ate L.A. on Melrose Avenue. Check out the oversized bun and miniature civic landmark, giving this burger joint the look of a movie set where lunch had gotten out of hand.
The theme continued inside, with pickle-shaped stools and a tomato slice suspended overhead. Apparently the toppings deserved as much attention as the burger. At the corner of Melrose and Stanley, this was quite a stop for hungry motorists and roadside sightseers alike.
UPDATE: The Burger That Ate L.A. had closed by October 1994. After a brief turn as Acapulco Chicken Café, the location became a Starbucks. The giant burger disappeared, leaving coffee to take over the corner. 10-26
Tastee Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
Remember passing an orange A-shaped sign and thinking about an ice cream stop? Chances are it belonged to a Tastee-Freez. The pointed framework gave these roadside stands a familiar look, easy to recognize before the lettering came into focus. A welcome sight on a hot Southern California afternoon.
Check out the shape and color, which helped the sign stand out among the usual restaurant marquees. Before every fast-food stop began looking much like the next, these signs gave motorists something distinctive to watch for. Spotting one could mean a soft-serve cone was somewhere close by.
The signs often outlasted the original business, taking on new names while keeping that unmistakable outline. Replacement lettering could give the old frame another job, though longtime travelers might still recognize its earlier identity.
UPDATE: Several former Tastee-Freez locations survive under independent restaurant names, with some retaining adapted signs and A-frame buildings. This particular Tastee’s location has not been identified, so its present status remains unconfirmed. 10-26
Brolly Hut Hamburgers
Inglewood, CA Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
Half carousel and half umbrella, the Brolly Hut in Inglewood gives hungry travelers something unusual to look at. Check out the broad roof and the little umbrella-shaped fixtures outside. There’s quite a bit of shelter-themed decorating for a place serving hamburgers.
“Brolly” is British slang for umbrella, which helps explain the whole arrangement. The round building carries the idea well, while the roadside marquee gets the name above the traffic. Oh, and this attraction serves food too, giving visitors another reason to pull over.
UPDATE: Brolly Hut remains open on Crenshaw Boulevard, serving burgers, pastrami sandwiches, and breakfast dishes. The longtime neighborhood stop continues to give its umbrella-themed name a fitting home. 10-26
Fastee
Pomona, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
An old Tastee sign found another identity at Fastee in Pomona. Check out the familiar A-shaped framework, where a change in lettering gave the roadside display a new name without losing its old outline. Apparently this one could make the switch from Tastee to Fastee without too much spelling trouble.
The tall, pointed shape was still doing the work of catching passing eyes. While the name belonged to a different operation, the frame carried a reminder of the ice cream stands and quick hamburger stops that once used this design.
These former chain signs can be interesting finds in their own right. Take a closer look at the outline rather than just reading the name. Sometimes the older restaurant’s identity is still there, hiding behind a few replacement letters.
UPDATE: The Pomona Fastee’s current operation has not been confirmed. Its adapted sign records one of the ways former Tastee-Freez locations carried their roadside identity into a different business. An old frame with another name to announce. 10-26
Donald's Burgers (Gone)
Beaumont, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
Hungry in Beaumont? The arrow at Donald’s Burgers made a pretty clear suggestion about where to stop. Check out the old roadside marquee, pointing travelers toward a meal along Sixth Street. No complicated directions needed when the sign did the pointing.
The marquee had the familiar look of a neighborhood burger stop hoping to catch a few passing motorists. The name supplied the menu’s main attraction, while the arrow took care of getting customers headed in the right direction. Quite a useful combination when lunch was overdue.
Sixth Street carried highway traffic through Beaumont before Interstate 10 changed the drive through town. Signs like this fit comfortably into that roadside setting, where a quick meal could become part of a longer trip. Even without sampling the burgers, a sign hunter had something worth a second look.
UPDATE: Donald's disappeared sometime after 2007. The sign was removed and it became an antique store. 10-26
Fatburger (Gone)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
A familiar marquee announced Fatburger long before the name spread far beyond Los Angeles. Check out the old lettering at this early location, where burgers and chili burgers gave hungry motorists a reason to stop along Western Avenue. The stand may have been small, but the name above it had plenty to say.
Lovie Yancey and Charles Simpson started the business as Mr. Fatburger in 1947. Yancey later bought out her partner and dropped the “Mr.,” leaving a name that was short, memorable, and fairly clear about what customers could expect. Apparently the burgers could manage without the formal introduction.
Fatburger Marquee
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Western Avenue stand became a familiar neighborhood gathering place, drawing customers long before Fatburger grew into an international chain. For roadside watchers, the old marquee was an attraction of its own. Quite a bit of Los Angeles burger history came out of this modest little stop.
UPDATE: The original Western Avenue restaurant closed on June 25, 2009. It appears the old marquee was removed during the redevelopment that followed, sometime between 2009 and 2011. The stand was restored and incorporated into the Jefferson Park Terrace housing development, with a plaque honoring Yancey. The grill went quiet, but a piece of Fatburger’s beginnings stayed on the corner. 10-26
The Burger That Ate L.A. (Gone
)
Tastee
Brolly Hut Hamburgers
Fastee
Donald's Burgers (Gone)
Fatburger (Gone)
Fatburger Marquee
