Big Boy lives in Cambridge
OK.....
This gives “yard art” a big boost — it’s the Big Boy Burger statue. As a kid, I used to ride in the back of my parent’s car and see the Big Boy standing outside of the chain restaurant. In a way, it’s iconic with Americana.
The restaurant’s Web site, Big Boy.com, offered a short history:
“In 1936, Bob Wian sold his prized DeSoto Roadster to purchase a small hamburger stand in Glendale, California. He named it ‘Bob’s Pantry.’
One night in 1937, a regular customer requested something different for a change. Bob went to work and the first double-decker hamburger was born. 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 studio animator, sketched the now famous character on a napkin.”
I didn’t know that Big Boy was still in business or adorning a “dining al fresco” setting nearby.