Retro-styled coffee shop opening Sept. 18 at the former site of Red’s Giant Hamburg

Trailer Perk Coffee of Springfield, Missouri, is graduating from a trailer operation to a retro-styled permanent location at the former site of Red’s Giant Hamburg restaurant.

The Springfield Daily Citizen reported Trailer Perk will hold a grand opening on Sept. 18 at its new spot at 2848 W. Chestnut (aka Route 66).

Owner Amber Ottoson wanted a permanent site after launching her business in 2017 in a mobile trailer.

And it just so happened the property she chose has historical significance, as it’s the original site of Red’s Giant Hamburg, Ottoson said. Reds, which reopened in 2019, is rumored to be the site of the first drive-thru in America.

“The history of this spot is not lost on me,” Ottoson said. “I’m grateful to Springfield for allowing me to grow and I’m excited to put something exciting on the northwest side of Springfield.”

Ottoson emailed Route 66 News in May when asked to comment:

Trailer Perk Coffee does have a brand that embraces the retro-feel and vintage quality that is similar to Red’s however it is purely coincidence. While we won’t have any place to showcase any Red’s memorabilia (the new location on Sunshine has done a beautiful job of that and we are a drive-thru-only business) we do plan on featuring a “Route 66” drink. We feel this will pay homage to the location as well as pair well with our own brand.

I do know there have been talks on social media suggesting that a historical marker be put on the site and I think that’s a fabulous idea.

The Birthplace of Route 66 Roadside Park in Springfield contains a replica of the original Red’s Giant Hamburg sign.

Red and Julia Chaney opened Red’s Giant Hamburg along U.S. 66 in Springfield in 1947 at a former gas station. The cafe was supposed to be called Red’s Giant Hamburger, but Red erred on the sign’s dimensions, and it could accommodate only the word “Hamburg.”

Red’s was known for using magnets to supposedly enhance the flavor of its burgers and brewed its own root beer. They used beef from their cattle farm, and Red sometimes danced with the customers. Red’s probably is best known for reputedly being the site of the first drive-through window, although this never has been confirmed.

The restaurant closed in 1984 after the Chaneys retired, though they briefly reopened it a year later as a charity fundraiser for a local PBS station.

Red died in 1997; Julia died in 2006. The building was torn down not long after Red’s death.

(Image of Trailer Perk Coffee site in Springfield, Missouri, via Facebook)

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