| Eateries |
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| MICHIGAN BURGER STANDS |
| These Michigan burger stands look like stripped-down White Tower restaurants. In fact, some of them may be adapted White Towers. They share extensive use of porcelain enamel tiles, both inside and out, counters and stools, as well as tiny but cheap burgers. I believe the stands shown on this page were built around the same time and probably had the same manufacturer. While some of them may not have been part of a chain, I include them here because of their similar appearances. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Bates Hamburgers Livonia, MI |
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| Bates Hamburgers seems to have two locations - this one and another in Farmington Hills (which I didn't get to check out on this trip). I don't know if there were others. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Greene's Hamburgers Farmington, MI |
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| Greene's Hamburgers has the same exterior lighting system as Bates Hamburgers shown above. For more, see this website. |
| Hunter House Hamburgers Birmingham, MI |
Cobb's Hamburgers Detroit, MI |
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Hunter House Hamburgers opened in 1950 (another source says 1952). In 2000, a new Hunter House opened in Detroit, MI. There used to be an older-style location across the street from this new one. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
Cobb's Hamburgers was most recently known as Olga's Coney Island (now closed). A "Coney Island" is a popular regional term for hot dog and hamburger stands. |
| Brayz Hamburgers Hazel Park, MI |
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Brayz Hamburgers was never a White Tower or part of another chain. The first Bray's opened in 1950 in Garden City, MI. The owners were Gordon and Roy Bray. Eventually, there were eight stores in total.
This Hazel Park Brayz Hamburgers originally went by Bray's name. In the 1970s, the chain was taken over by Gordon Bray's son, Phil Bray, who owned it until the 1980s. After that it was taken over by Gordon Bray's other two sons; Marc (who owned the Hazel Park restaurant) and John (who currently owns the Westland restaurant). The Hazel Park location changed its name to "Bray'z Hamburgers" in the 1990s. The donkey holding a burger and cup on the roof is part of the chain's original design. There is another "Brays" in Westland, MI but the building was replaced with a larger one. However, it does have a donkey (nicknamed "Buster") inside the building. Another location with a donkey, is/was in Detroit (Wayne?) and known as Bud's Hamburgers. For more, see this website. |
| Carter's Coney Island Lincoln Park, MI |
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| Carter's Coney Island was originally Carter's Hamburgers. The "Carter's Hamburgers" sign is just barely readable under the white paint. For an earlier view of the sign, see this website. |
| Carter's Hamburgers Dearborn, MI |
Elmer's Hamburgers Detroit, MI |
former hamburger stand Detroit, MI |
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This Carter's Hamburgers was probably part of the same chain as the one described above. I'm not sure when they were built or how many there were.
From the altered sign on the building, it appears that Elmer's Hamburgers started out with another name. Many of these chains used the word "systems" in their names. This former hamburger stand is now a pawn shop. The top of the tower and crown detail were probably an attempt to strengthen the association of this stand with those of White Tower or White Castle. |
| Sonny's Hamburgers Redford, MI |
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| Sonny's Hamburgers has more glass than the other buildings shown here. |
| Telway Hamburgers Detroit, MI |
The Telway Madison Heights, MI |
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This Telway Hamburgers supposedly opened in 1924 (seems a little early for this building style). It is not that different looking from the other Telway location shown and built much later. For more, see this website.
The Telway opened in 1959. This building looks very similar in style to the The Giant. The "Giant System" and "Top Hat" were two other very popular burger chains around Detroit in the 1950s. |
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