Monday, September 28, 2009

Burger King


Growing up, this building was a constant in my life.  I know that through the years the buildings changed and morphed into what we see today, but in my mind, this is the way a Burger King building looks like. You see, my grandfather opened up one of the first Burger Kings in Michigan and expanded until he had 8 stores in the Lansing, MI area.  My entire family worked there in one capacity or another.  This was our family business.



This is the King on a Bun. It may have an official name, but this is way I've always known it. I posted a photo of the King on a Bun that I have in my own home - HERE. He hangs in my laundry room and I smile every day when I see him. I actually don't remember this King in the stores, (in our family the Burger Kings were called stores) but I remember him more being a piece of art, hanging on the walls of family homes.



Now this King I remember. When I was in 2nd grade we did a local Burger King commercial where we had this king suit, which my mother wore, and I came up to the King and was handed a balloon. Then there was type that said come to a special event at these Lansing Burger King locations. When the commercial came out I was a mini celebrity in my classroom for about a day. It was fun.




This is my very favorite Burger King logo.  I really really really dislike the round BK symbol that's used now.  This one will always be the best :)  Gosh, growing up we had all kinds of Burger King logo items.  I think my sisters had more than I did because merchandising changed at some point and more logo items were available, but we had shirts, shoes, clocks, necklaces and even these weird Halloween decorations with a Burger King logo on them.   Those Halloween decorations were so cool.  I don't think a photo of them exists unfortunately.



When my Dad was the manager of one of the stores, this was his business card of sorts.  He used to hand these out all the time.  This is where I got that picture of the store in the first photo (sneaky, huh?!!)  He used to have a whole pile of these cards sitting on his dresser and I used to look at them, count them, pile them into stacks of ten and examining each one.  Who knew that the two that I have now would mean so much to me.  I really should get these framed.  Right now they are in a clear plastic box frame.  They need a frame.  They really do.

A while back I talked about and showed pictures of the Lansing Mall Burger King (here) where I worked as a kid.  Take a look if you haven't seen it before.  It's a hoot.

I hope you have a Fabulous Monday!
Kristin
EDIT EDIT EDIT
My mom scanned the photos from the Green Album




I'm inside - That's my mom :)




Left to right - my sister Alison in the high chair.  The Burger King sign with all of the bicycles lined up.  You'll have to get out your magnifying glasses for that one.
Second row - The store filled to the brim with the deCylces bike riders. (My Aunt Gail is holding my cousin Jody and the dark haired gal next to those two is my cousin Amy.)  My Uncles Matthew and Alan posing in my grandparents backyard.
Bottom row - The deCycles bikes and kids in the backyard.

11 comments:

Marg Henry said...

Ashtrays, for heavens sake:)

Mom said...

Yeah, ashtrays!

I ran across the king costume picture yesterday in "the green album" and I think I have the picture of you and Pat.......

Kristin - The Goat said...

I've had these ashtrays for years. One of them sat on Grandpa's desk in the office.

I was thinking of the King Costume pictures as I was typing this post. We'll have to look at them when I arrive :)

Ahhh, Pat. LOL I hope he never finds this blog. :)

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I just love the stuff you have. I have a cute story to share with you. When they first opened my dad went to the drive thru and asked for a Wooooper and they asked him what size Root Beer he wanted. Funny, right!

AlisonArtisan said...

Somewhere there is a picture of me and Lesley celebrating my 6th (or so) birthday with the King. family members are probably in the pic too. But I think at that point they had changed to the "mascot" that looks more like the freaky King they poke fun at in the new commercials. Very retro.

My favorite piece is the menu clock that our grandparents saved. A hamburger was what, 10 cents! And remember when BK use to sell hot dogs and snow cones!

Kristin, if you want to bring those business cards with you, I can frame them for you while you are in town. Oh, that reminds me...in my baby book there is a business card for a free whopper that Dad handed out to friends. I guess that replaced the cigar!

Kristin - The Goat said...

Oh Alison, that would be great! Thanks. Now to remember to bring them :)

I have a picture of the menu board, but I can't seem to find it. It's in one of my photobucket accounts.

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

FUn memories!

mom said...

actually the Whopper was 49cents and we NEVER sold snowcones.

jb said...

I used to eat at the S. Logan Strret location when I fist moved to Michigan (1980's) so your family fed me before I ever met you! Isn't that a tiny tiny world! <3

Lisa Nelsen-Woods said...

I remember the Burger King on the glass. I like him SO much better than the current Burger King. Fiberglass King Head creeps me out. My husband loves him and even when as him for Halloween. My husband won the costumer contest - for scariest costume!

j said...

Oh COOL! I love this post. So much family history and nostalgia.