National Big Boy Day | The Restaurant Mascot That Became an American Icon
Today is National Big Boy Day.
Long before fast food chains covered every freeway exit, Bob’s Big Boy helped define what the American family restaurant could be. When Bob Wian introduced the original double-decker Big Boy hamburger in Glendale, California, in 1937, it became one of the first signature burgers that people would travel specifically to eat. The combination of car culture, diners, drive-ins, and roadside architecture made Big Boy an icon of postwar America.
The smiling Big Boy statue carrying his oversized hamburger became just as recognizable as the restaurant itself. Today, original fiberglass statues have become highly sought-after collectibles, with surviving examples often selling for thousands of dollars. They represent much more than a restaurant chain. They remind people of family dinners, road trips, classic cars, and an era when the neighborhood diner was often the center of the community.
I photographed this statue in the window of an antique store in Julian, California. Between the reflections in the glass and the familiar smile, it seemed to capture exactly what nostalgia looks like. Sometimes an old restaurant mascot can tell a bigger story than the meal it was created to advertise.
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“Free-Form 50’s Coffee Shop Architecture”
How many of you can reach back in your memory and see yourself sitting in a Bob’s Big Boy? I sure can. Such a memorable part of that 1950’s and 1960’s car culture so identified with Southern California. This Big Boy is in a storefront in the little community of Julian, California. One of many stops on a recent photo excursion. Photographed with my Hasselblad. Love that camera!
“Customers couldn’t get enough of Bob’s new creation. One fan in particular was a chubby six year old boy in droopy overalls. He would often help Bob sweep up in exchange for a free burger. In honor of his young friend, Wian decided to name the better burger the Big Boy. Another regular customer, a movie animator, sketched the now famous character on a napkin.” – http://www.bigboy.com/careers/story/
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