The resurrected version of Red’s Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri, will be auctioned on May 15 after opening about six years ago.
OzarksFirst.com first reported that the property on the south side of Springfield (not on Route 66), along with its fixtures and equipment, will be auctioned starting at 1 p.m. on May 15.
The restaurant will remain open until May 14, the day before the sale.
More from the report:
Ozarks First talked to one worker inside, who said they just found out about the auction on Monday, April 21 and they weren’t sure what it meant for their future at Red’s.
The restaurant owner said he did not want to comment until after the auction was over.
The Springfield Daily Citizen reported that auctioneer Tyler Garrison of Diamond S. Auction & Real Estate Co., which is helping with the sale, said “some financial distress” is the reason for the auction, adding the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after its opening was a significant factor.
A second auction will include a 1955 Buick and “Giant Hamburg” lighted sign that sit in front of the restaurant.
Diamond’s auction listing is here.
The new version of Red’s Giant Hamburg is at 2301 E. Sunshine St., about three miles south of the nearest Route 66 alignment in the city.
Red and Julia Chaney opened the original 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 “Hamburg.”
Red’s was known for using magnets to supposedly enhance the flavor of its burgers and making its own root beer. They used beef from their cattle farm, and Red sometimes danced with the customers.
Red’s is probably best known as reputedly the site of the first drive-through window, although this has never been confirmed.
The restaurant closed in 1984 after the Chaneys retired. Red died in 1997; Julia died in 2006. The original building was torn down not long after Red’s death.
The current owners of Red’s purchased the rights to use the recipes and restaurant name in the late 1990s.
(Image of Red’s Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri, via the Diamond Auctions listing)