Sean Hong, co-owner of irv’s Burgers in West Hollywood, California, died Sept. 3 of an unexpected medical issue.
The death led to the temporary closing of the Route 66 restaurant until Sept. 25, according to a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. Hong’s private funeral is Thursday.
WeHoville.com reported:
A sign posted on the door notes that “… Hong passed away September 3, 2017 after a sudden devastating medical issue. The funeral will be held privately on September 21, 2017. Sonia and Mama thank everyone for their support during this difficult time.”
A GoFundMe.com account will help pay for funeral expenses. As of Sunday afternoon, more than $6,000 of the $8,000 goal had been raised.
The Sonia Hong family, which immigrated from Korea, purchased Irv’s Burgers in 2000. The city designated the restaurant as a cultural landmark in 2005, which kept a developer’s wrecking ball at bay at least once.
The family’s business was evicted in 2013, and it reopened a few months later down the street at 7998 Santa Monica Blvd., also Route 66.
Irv’s originally was a Queen’s Burgers stand at 8289 Santa Monica Blvd. George Motz, host of the Travel Channel’s “Burger Land,” has cited Irv’s as having one of the best burgers in the country.
Irv’s Burgers long has been known for celebrity-spotting, as it sits a short distance from several movie studios.
(Image of the front window of Irv’s Burgers in West Hollywood, California, via Facebook)