Bob's Big Boy

Coordinates: 34°09′09″N 118°20′46″W / 34.15258°N 118.346154°W / 34.15258; -118.346154

Bob's Big Boy is a restaurant chain that Bob Wian founded in Southern California in 1936, originally named Bob's Pantry. It is now part of Big Boy Restaurants International, the current primary trademark owner and franchisor of the Big Boy system.

Wian created his famous burger, the Big Boy, just less than a year of opening his original location by slicing a bun into three slices and adding two hamburger patties.

Oldest remaining restaurant

The Bob's Big Boy Restaurant located at 4211 Riverside Drive in the Toluca Lake area of Burbank, California, is the oldest remaining Bob's Big Boy in the United States. Built in 1949 by local residents Scott MacDonald and Ward Albert, it was designed by noted Los Angeles architect Wayne McAllister, "incorporating the 1940s transitional design of streamline moderne style, while anticipating the freeform 1950s coffee shop architecture. The towering Bob's sign is an integral part of the building design and its most prominent feature." The building is said to have "made McAllister's reputation," and he is credited with creating the restaurant's circular drive-through design.

Big Boy Restaurants

Big Boy Restaurants International, LLC is a restaurant chain with its headquarters in Warren, Michigan, in Metro Detroit. Big Boy Restaurants also refers to Frisch's Big Boy Restaurants headquartered in Cincinnati.

Big Boy was started as Bob's Pantry in 1936 by Bob Wian in Glendale, California, USA. The restaurant became known as "Bob's, Home of the Big Boy Hamburger" then as Bob's Big Boy. It became a local chain under that name and nationally under the Big Boy name, franchised by Robert C. Wian Enterprises. Marriott Corporation bought Big Boy in 1967. One of the larger franchise operators, Elias Brothers, purchased the chain from Marriott in 1987, moved the headquarters of the company to Warren, Michigan, and operated it until bankruptcy was declared in 2000. Following the bankruptcy, the chain was sold to investor Robert Liggett, Jr., who took over as Chairman, renamed the company Big Boy Restaurants International and maintained the headquarters in Warren. The company is the operator or franchisor for 96 Big Boy restaurants in the United States. Big Boy Restaurants International also licenses 279 Big Boy restaurants operating in Japan.

Big Boy

Big Boy or Big Boys may refer to:

Food

Nickname

Music and radio

Other uses

Big Boy (radio host)

Big Boy (born Kurt Alexander; September 8, 1969) is an American radio host currently heard on numerous radio stations across the United States. From 1997 until February 2015, he hosted the morning show at Los Angeles Rhythmic contemporary station KPWR (Power 106). He is now at KRRL (Real 92.3). His stage name derives from his formerly large build, which he modified through duodenal switch surgery in 2003, leading to a nearly fatal weight loss of over 250 pounds.

Life and career

Big Boy was born in Chicago, but moved to Los Angeles at age 2. After becoming acquainted with the music industry while DJ-ing Culver City High School parties, Big Boy soon became a bodyguard for the music group The Pharcyde. Big Boy was friends with the Baka Boyz, the morning show hosts at Power 106. Always being a funny personality, Big Boy was offered a hosting position with the station, soon proving successful in nighttime and afternoon hosting spots.

Big Boy's image became well known throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Power 106 placed his nearly-nude 500-plus pound image onto billboards throughout the area.

Big Boy (song)

"Big Boy" aka "I'm A Big Boy Now" was the first single ever recorded by the Jackson 5, which was released by Steeltown Records in January 1968. The group played instruments on many of their Steeltown compositions, including "Big Boy". The song was neither a critical nor commercial success, but the Jackson family were delighted with the outcome nonetheless.

The Jackson 5 would release a second single with Steeltown Records before moving to Motown Records. The group's recordings at Steeltown Records were thought to be lost, but they were rediscovered more than 25 years later. They were remastered and reissued in 1995, with "Big Boy" as the promotional lead single.

First record deal and lead single

The Jackson 5 began their career performing at talent contests, which they would often win. During a performance at Beckman Junior High in Gary, Indiana, the group were brought to the attention of Gordon Keith — a singer, record producer, and a founder-owner of Steeltown Records, a company also located in Gary. Keith who produced and released "Big Boy" on January 31, 1968, had first signed "The Jackson Five" to a limited record deal with him in November 1967. The band recorded with their instruments and a backing group on the weekends. Michael Jackson sang lead vocals on the majority of the tracks beginning with "Big Boy" in 1967 which took a few hours to record. "Big Boy" was written by Eddie Silvers of Chicago and was recorded there. The group were paid three cents for each record sold, which was split equally amongst the five brothers and their drummer. The group's first single "Big Boy" was backed with the B-side "You've Changed". "The Jackson 5 and Johnny" (Johnny Jackson on drums, no relation) would go on to perform "Big Boy" and other songs locally throughout the Gary and South Chicago area before moving to California in 1969.