Hamburger Mary's is the name of several related hamburger restaurants that started in San Francisco, California in 1972. The name of the business refers to both the original San Francisco location (which closed in 2001) and Hamburger Mary's Bar & Grille, a franchise with numerous locations around the United States, even though the original location and the franchise had been separately owned since 1978. The current franchise is a drag-themed casual dining chain[1][2] The eateries are often in gayborhoods and are intended to represent stereotypical gay culture through humorously named menu items,[3] flamboyant decor, and many of their locations hosting drag shows on weekends.
 The Hamburger Mary's in Denver in 2009 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Number of locations | 8 |
| Website | hamburgermarys |
History
edit"Hamburger Mary" Morris (ca. 1888-1940) was a restaurateur and personality from San Francisco who operated a restaurant known as "Hamburger Mary's" in the Radio City Music Hall area of Midtown Manhattan. The restaurant was very popular with theater people, models, and other, often-struggling performers.[4][5][6]
The original Hamburger Mary's continued to operate for some years after the death of Mary Morris. William S. Burroughs used to frequent the restaurant during his early days in New York City and later used the name "Hamburger Mary" for a character in Nova Express and The Ticket That Exploded.[7][8]
The modern Hamburger Mary's restaurants began in San Francisco in 1972, when the first Hamburger Mary's was opened by a group of "hippies and gay men".[9] Originally occupying a small storefront at Folsom and 12th Street in the SoMa neighborhood, the restaurant soon expanded to occupy four interconnected storefronts. Rose Christensen started as a cook in the restaurant's early days, and after a series of promotions, became the owner and operated the restaurant with her partner Amy Schloss for decades. Christensen's health problems led to their decision to sell the business in 2001 to a buyer who decided not to continue the name. At that time, the place was called "eclectic and wacky, with the spirit of a homey dive".[9] Christensen said of the origin of their restaurant's name:
I’ve heard different stories. I’ve heard that William S. Burroughs in one of his books refers to a ‘Hamburger Mary’. I’ve heard that there was a woman named Mary who cooked food on the streets after the 1906 earthquake and gave it away. And I’ve also heard that it’s the old gay slang, you call everybody 'Mary'. It could be all those, it could be any of those.[10]
By the late 1970s, Hamburger Mary's had expanded, opening locations in Portland, Oregon and in Honolulu and Lahaina, Hawaii. In 1978, an ownership split took place, with Tom "Toulouse" Mulvey remaining in charge of the original San Francisco location, and Jerry "Trixie" Jones taking charge of the other locations and all franchising rights.[10] The original Folsom Street Hamburger Mary's continued for several decades as a popular San Francisco spot until economic pressures and health issues among the remaining owners led to its closure on April 23, 2001.[10][11] After the closure, the owners of the Hamburger Mary's franchise expressed interested in buying out the Folsom Street location, however, they were unable to find franchisees. A combination of poor economic conditions during the early 2000s recession and the shift in the gay customer base to the Castro District were cited as reasons why the search for a franchisee was unsuccessful.[12]
The original Hamburger Mary's and the franchise developed in different directions. Although the several of the owners and much of the clientele of the Folsom Street Hamburger Mary's were gay, the overall customer base was mixed and it relied less on specifically LGBTQ-related events like drag performances to draw customers. The bar continued to maintain a countercultural, funky atmosphere close to its early 1970s origins. The other locations eventually developed into an LGBTQ-themed casual dining franchise, with cross-dressing waitstaff and drag performances as part of their appeal.[citation needed]
After Jerry Jones death in the 1980s, the franchise rights were inherited by his partner, however, those rights were in turn lost in a lawsuit. A series of ownership changes took place afterward and the franchise developed in a haphazard way, without a clear brand identity and individual locations often operating independently of the larger franchise after licensing the name. In 1997, Stan Sax, who had run the Palm Springs location, and Darren Woolsey purchased the chain, incorporating it as Hamburger Mary's International, and began to standardize the operation of Hamburger Mary's franchises, instituting company-wide training manuals for franchise owners and employees and standardized recipe books for the kitchen and bar.[12][13][14] The "Mary" logo was added in 1999.[13] The chain began to expand during the 2000s, peaking at 11 locations across the continental United States, but closures followed, and by 2007 there were only 4 locations. That year, twin brothers Ashley and Brandon Wright, owners of the Chicago franchise, and Dale Warner, owner of the West Hollywood location, purchased Hamburger Mary's International from Sax and Woolsey and the chain underwent another round of expansion.[14]
Locations
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As of October 2024, Hamburger Mary's operates in 8 locations in different cities across 6 US states, with two locations in Florida said to be in the process of moving or rebuilding.[15][16] The West Hollywood, California location is the oldest Hamburger Mary's currently operating. Over its several decades of operation, Hamburger Mary's locations have opened and closed in a number of cities across the continental United States and Hawaii.[14][17][18]
A San Francisco location was opened in Castro District in 2018, the first Hamburger Mary's in that city since the closure of the original Folsom Street location in 2001. The reopening took place amidst existing controversy regarding allegations of discrimination at the franchise-owner's other businesses in the Castro District.[19] The San Francisco location closed in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic and as of 2024 it is not scheduled to reopen.
The Jacksonville, Florida location closed in October 2023 due to a fire. Although there are rumors that it was caused by arson, the owner states it was an electrical fire.[16] It has not reopened as of October 2024.[20]
The franchise has had two locations outside of the United States, though neither of these are in operations as of 2024. A Hamburger Mary's operated in Germany from 2010 to 2013 in the lobby of the Axel Hotel in the Schöneberg district of Berlin. Another location operated in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from 2021 to 2022.[citation needed]
Events, entertainment and food
editHamburger Mary's is known for its drag-themed events and entertainment offerings. These events feature high-energy drag performances, audience participation, and themed celebrations. The Las Vegas location, for instance, offers a drag brunch every weekend with options for bottomless drinks and a full open bar.[21] A reviewer for the Dallas Observer[relevant?] praised the restaurant's brunch food as well as the drag performances, writing "a succession of drag queens are careening, faux-crooning and somersaulting around crowded tables while songs by Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Katy Perry play in the background."[22] They said the food was affordable and quite good, describing the chicken and waffles: "The dish includes a sizable waffle and a few fried chicken strips, each boasting flavorful breading that pairs well with a fluffy, buttery, syrup-topped waffle. It’s filling enough on its own, but if you’re craving something a little extra, you can have your waffles infused with chocolate chips or bacon."[22] The reviewer also praised the "'Big D' Omelette is a keeper", saying "The kitchen staff empties the sink for this one, pouring mushrooms, cheddar and jack cheese into a medley of ham, bacon, onions and bell peppers."[22]
Challenge to Florida drag ban
editIn 2023, Hamburger Mary's filed a lawsuit challenging a new law by Florida governor Ron DeSantis banning drag performances where children may be present, citing a "chilling effect" on First Amendment rights to free speech as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.[23] U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell rejected the state's request to dismiss the case and granted an injunction temporarily blocking the law.[24][25] In October, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit heard Florida's appeal of the ruling. According to a report by Courthouse News Service, the three judge panel "appeared unlikely to side with Florida officials seeking to overturn a lower court’s decision to block enforcement".[26]
In popular culture
editHamburger Mary's was featured in the "Grand Finale" of the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ Crain, Tom (March 2006). "Out is in at unconventional bar and grill chain". Franchise Times. pp. 22–24.
- ^ Weigle, Lauren (May 16, 2016). "Hamburger Mary's Bar & Grille on 'Undercover Boss': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
- ^ "Hamburger Mary's, Andersonville | Metromix Chicago". Chicago.metromix.com. April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
- ^ "'Hamburger Mary' Arrives Here", San Francisco Examiner, 2 Aug 1935, p. 30
- ^ "About Town: Hamburger Mary", Barnard Bulletin, 5 Nov 1937, p. 1
- ^ "Hamburger Mary; Fed and Advised Luckless Actors", Associated Press, 27 February 1940.
- ^ Call Me Burroughs: A Life. Grand Central. January 28, 2014. ISBN 978-1-4555-1194-5.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20101205222905/https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/4424/the-art-of-fiction-no-36-william-s-burroughs
- ^ a b Harcia, Ken (March 6, 2001). "Hamburger Mary's Will Be Missed / Folsom Street hangout is sold". Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ a b c "The Secret, saucy history of the original Hamburger Mary's" by Joe Kukura, 21 April 2016, Broke-Ass Stuart.
- ^ "Hamburger Mary's will be missed: Folsom Street hangout is sold" by Ken Garcia, San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com, 6 March 2001.
- ^ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20030702173513/https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2002/10/21/story6.html
- ^ a b ""Hamburger Mary's on the lookout for Seattle franchises" by Matthew McQuilkin, p. 13". April 14, 2000.
- ^ a b c "Hamburger Mary's - 40 Years Old...But STILL Hot As Ever!" by Jeff Edmondson, OutVoices, 28 September 2012.
- ^ Hamburger Mary's: Locations
- ^ a b "Former Hamburger Mary’s owner says they ‘lost everything’ in electrical fire that caused significant damage" by Khalil Maycock, News4Jax, 17 October 2023.
- ^ Hamburger Mary's: Locations (archived 25 December 2010)
- ^ Hamburger Mary's: Locations (archived 22 September 2016)
- ^ "Hamburger Mary’s grandiose return to SF comes with side of controversy, by Jonathan Kauffman, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 April 2018. archive
- ^ "Hamburger Mary's Jacksonville – Eat, Drink, and Be... MARY!".
- ^ "Drag Brunch at Hamburger Mary's Las Vegas". Hamburger Mary's. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ a b c Hicks, Tyler (June 14, 2023). "The brunch at Hamburger Mary's can't match the entertainment, but it's a solid companion". Dallas Observer. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Argueta, Brenda (June 23, 2023). "Hamburger Mary's lawsuit: Judge blocks Florida law to punish venues where children see drag". WKMG. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ Trotta, Daniel (June 23, 2023). "U.S. court blocks Florida law restricting drag performances". Reuters. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ Villarreal, Daniel (June 26, 2023). "Hamburger Mary's wins court victory against Ron DeSantis' drag ban". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ Goggin, Kayla (October 9, 2024). "Challenge of Florida drag show law takes 11th Circuit stage: A federal judge had found a state law prohibiting children from attending "adult live performances" was "specifically designed to suppress the speech of drag queen performers."". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
External links
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