… in today’s Zippy, which features the old Fran’s Hamburgers in Austin TX — it closed in 2013 — and its notable fiberglass mascot:
(#1)
In Zippy’s world, fiberglass figures are often given to intense self-reflection, especially about their place in the world.
Fran’s as it was:
(#2)
From the Austin American-Statesman on 4/7/13, “Final bite: Austin diners mourn closing of Fran’s Hamburgers on S. Congress” by Sam Womack:
Classic rides and rockabilly-garbed patrons kept the iconic Fran’s Hamburgers on South Congress hoppin’ and rockin’ Saturday night. It could have been a scene from the movie “Grease.”
But reigning silently over the busy scene with her guitar scepter and tray of food, the diner’s landmark red-haired statue kept mum on the sad news: Saturday was Fran’s Hamburgers last dinner service at its South Congress location.
(#3) Fiberglass Fran
Manager Ed Terrazas, who is also Fran’s son, said that after 40 years, the family decided not to renew the restaurant’s lease. He did not know what would become of the property on the northwest corner of Mary Street and South Congress Avenue following their departure.
… Fran’s Hamburgers opened in 1973 as Dan’s Hamburgers. It was started by Dan and Frances Junk, but when the couple divorced in 1990, they split their assets and Frances kept the South Congress eatery.
There are now three Dan’s Hamburgers restaurants in Austin and one in Buda. One Fran’s Hamburgers remains in Northeast Austin, at 6214 Cameron Road.
The sign from the remaining Fran’s, a drive-through hamburger place on Cameron Road:
(#4)
Locations. For Fran’s S. Congress:
(#5) UT, downtown, and on south
The old Fran’s was on S. Congress (1822), quite close to Magnolia Cafe (at 1920), in the middle of this map.
Current Fran’s:
(#6) UT and north
I-35 runs through it.
To connect this to our last visit to Austin, in my 4/27 posting “The shateria”: the Washateria there is in the North Campus neighborhood of UT.
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