Bob's Big Boy

[texasdago]

Anyone remember where the Bob's Big Boys used to be around town? I remember one on the corner of Westheimer and Weslayean, pretty much where Central Market now stands. I vaguely remember it being a cool Googie style building with lava rock or some kind of flagstone detailing on the walls.

Anyone know of any others? How about some pictures?

[rps324]

If I remember correctly, (which is highly suspect), that big boy was owned by the Pappas'. The dot diner in front of Gulfgate I think is the same structure, minus the fat little statue. It is also a Pappas owned place. (with great yeast rolls that will destroy any Adkins diet, but I digress...)

[texasdago]

I know there used to also be a Kip's Big Boy but can't recall if any were located in Houston or Texas...

[editor]

In the Cincinnati area Frisch's Big Boy is still a very large and popular chain.

All of the Big Boy's are regional francises, so many have a name other than "Bob."

Where I grew up there were no Big Boys at all, so my first exposure was a "Bob's Big Boy" reference in a movie.

[GoAtomic]

I used to pass the restaurant on Westheimer on the way to work in the late 90's. It was a Dot Coffee Shop too, just like the one by GulfGate, although I've heard from a couple of other people that it used to be a Big Boy in earlier years. It's too bad it had to go.

I recently stopped to take pictures of the one still in operation by Gulfgate - it's a GREAT example (outside anyway) of Googie coffee shops, even has the period landscaping intact. It has a lot of the architectural cues of the Armet & Davis coffee shops in the book Googie Redux, which is a great read on the progression of the California Coffee Shop Modern style.

If you want to see some really classic commercial Mod, take a trip out I-10 to San Antonio. As you get close to SA (milemarker 600?) there are these roadside rest stop tables built with googie-esqe flying arrow roofs piercing through brick support columns, with picnic tables & benches set on an angle and built-in brick planter boxes at the edge.

[Subdude]

I was going to paste a link to "Googie", which was the definitive guide to coffee shop modern, and I saw the new Googie Redux you mentioned. That's great there's a sequel book!

My other favorite remaining example of googie in Houston is a car wash that is off 45 south of 610. Near Monroe maybe, on the east side. It has tall pylons sticking up through the roof. It's not period original, but th 59 Diner on the Katy Fwy. is also nice.

[texasdago]

Well, it turns out EZ's in Dallas used to be a Kip's Big Boy... it's a great Googie-styled building.

http://www.cosmicool.com/googie/ezskips.html

Of course, I just found out (this sucks tremendously) that they're going to tear down the building.

[citykid09]

I didn't know we had Big Boys in Texas before. What happened?

[tomv]

Don't know what happened to the Big Boy restaurant, but I know where "Big Boy" is. Go to Houston Photos on this website, look through the most recent set of pictures posted by Texas Boy, and you'll see him!

[westguy]

I used to go to that Kip's Big Boy as a child. I've also eaten at EZ's a few times. That sucks that they're going to tear it down.

I wonder what happened to the Big Boy statue that used to be there. I think the building may have been hit by fire at one point.

[ssullivan]

I know there used to also be a Kip's Big Boy but can't recall if any were located in Houston or Texas...

The Houston Big Boys were all Kip's. The only one I remember well enough to know where it was is the one that was on Westheimer at Welayan. We ate there several times when I was a kid. There were others around but i don't remember where they were.

There's an antique shop on Westheimer east of Shepherd that used to have a couple of those Big Boy statues in its inventory. They may still be there -- they are frequently displayed on the front porch of the shop on weekends when the store is open and weather is nice.

I've seen a couple of Bob's Big Boys up here in Pennsylvania and Delaware over the last week, so they do still exist in some parts of the country.

[GoAtomic]

The Houston Big Boys were all Kip's. The only one I remember well enough to know where it was is the one that was on Westheimer at Welayan. We ate there several times when I was a kid. There were others around but i don't remember where they were.

There's an antique shop on Westheimer east of Shepherd that used to have a couple of those Big Boy statues in its inventory. They may still be there -- they are frequently displayed on the front porch of the shop on weekends when the store is open and weather is nice.

I've seen a couple of Bob's Big Boys up here in Pennsylvania and Delaware over the last week, so they do still exist in some parts of the country.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone know any of the history of the Dot Coffee Shop chain?

It seems they must have taken these Big Boy restaurants over quite a while back, before the period look became stale, because the 'Dot' lettering looks very at home on those buildings. Or maybe they just didn't want to spend the money remodel.

[MidtownCoog]

Dot Coffee Shop at Gulfgate has been there since the 70s. Don't ever remember it being a Big Boy.

[Gary]

I used to go to that Kip's Big Boy as a child. I've also eaten at EZ's a few times. That sucks that they're going to tear it down.

I wonder what happened to the Big Boy statue that used to be there. I think the building may have been hit by fire at one point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I saw that statue at an antique shop on lower Westheimer. I believe it was for sale.

[stolitx]

Does anyone know any of the history of the Dot Coffee Shop chain?

It seems they must have taken these Big Boy restaurants over quite a while back, before the period look became stale, because the 'Dot' lettering looks very at home on those buildings.  Or maybe they just didn't want to spend the money remodel.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Dot at Gulfagate was always a Dot. Great food by the way. There was a Big Boy in Pasadena, it's long gone with the others around here.

[westguy]

I saw that statue at an antique shop on lower Westheimer. I believe it was for sale.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I saw that statue too. The one outside of Kip's, though, was about 8-10 feet tall.

[Gary]

I saw that statue too. The one outside of Kip's, though, was about 8-10 feet tall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess this was a replica?

[Trophy Property]

I guess this was a replica?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Anyone remember JoJo's. They were very similar to Denny's. In fact the two locations I can think of have turned into Denny's.

I also seem to remember a Kip's Big Boy at Westhiemer between Hillcroft and Stoney Brook (now a Mexican restuarant). Can anyone verify this.

[MidtownCoog]

Don't forget Sambos.

Too un-PC for today, but did quite a busines in the 60s and 70s.

[HeightsGuy]

Does anyone know any of the history of the Dot Coffee Shop chain?

The history of Dot is the history of the Pappas bros. It was their first restaurant.

[Perimeter285]

I found a pretty good recreation of this type of mod restaurant interior:

Rockfish Grill at Royal Oaks (Westheimer near Kirkwood)

[torvald]

Anyone remember JoJo's.  They were very similar to Denny's.    In fact the two locations I can think of have turned into Denny's. 

I also seem to remember a Kip's Big Boy at Westhiemer between Hillcroft and Stoney Brook (now a Mexican restuarant).  Can anyone verify this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

jo jos! my grandfather and i had breakfast there almost every sunday (the location off of 290) i mostly remember the large bubble window in front, wood paneled aquariums and the ponytailed waitress politely flirting with my grandfather by name as he read the post.

[MZargarov]

Kip's Big Boy was on Westheimer, now the parking lot for the Central Market.

[crankypup]

Kip's Big Boy was on Westheimer, now the parking lot for the Central Market.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you happen to know roughly what the address was? I'm doing a website with a Kip's section, and I think there were 2 on Westheimer... One on Griggs, one on Bellaire. Anyone know what happened to them? Are they standing?

[SpaceAge]

It seems strange, but my 1969 city directory does not list any of the Kip's in SW Houston. The following addresses are close however:

Bellaire location was near Duncan Doughnuts at 5406 Bellaire Blvd.

Westheimer East location was West of Weslayan at about 3815 Westheimer Rd.

Westheimer West location is in front of the former Weingarten Grocery store at 7601 Westheimer Rd. (The covered front walkway of that center was originally glazed and air conditioned.) The Kip's building has been converted into a Mexican Food Restaurant.

[MidtownCoog]

Kips Big Boy Buffet! I-45 South @ Monroe, now a Connie's Seafood.

[lowspark]

I remember the Kip's Big Boy on Bellaire. It was around in the 60s and 70s for sure. The Big Boy outside that restaurant was probably 6 feet tall, give or take. And they used to give the kids Big Boy comic books for free to read while you waited for your food. I loved that place as a kid.

There was a JoJo's on S. Braeswood just west of Hillcroft which went out of business a few years ago.

And, remember Jim's? The one on N. Braeswood & Chimney Rock turned into Champ's before it died and remained empty for a while. It then became Victor's Deli which didn't last long and now it's a Mexican Restaurant.

[ssullivan]

Jim's can still be found in San Antonio. They seem to be on every other corner there.

[crankypup]

It seems strange, but my 1969 city directory does not list any of the Kip's in SW Houston.  The following addresses are close however:

Bellaire location was near Duncan Doughnuts at 5406 Bellaire Blvd.

Westheimer East location was West of Weslayan at about 3815 Westheimer Rd.

Westheimer West location is in front of the former Weingarten Grocery store at 7601 Westheimer Rd.  (The covered front walkway of that center was originally glazed and air conditioned.) The Kip's building has been converted into a Mexican Food Restaurant.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the great info, guys! I can update my site now.. I live in Dallas, and don't get to Houston very often, so you guys have been a big help..

[MidtownCoog]

Who remembers Sambos?