But loyal customers shouldn’t worry about the restaurant chain leaving the city, he said. Music. When Hamburger Mary's co-owners and identical twin brothers Ashley and Brandon Wright went undercover to perform separate jobs in their LGBT-friendly restaurants, they accomplished a lot more than they ever thought they would. There is still over a year left on the current lease, Wright said. These are selected by the writer and confirmed by the editor. Favorite Quotes. The eateries are often in gayborhoods and are intended to represent stereotypical gay culture through, for example, humorously named menu items, flamboyant decor and many of their locations hosting drag shows on weekends. This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter(s). Glee. “It’s a great corner and it’s an architecturally significant building, so I’m assuming whoever goes in there will have the ability to operate there successfully,” he said. Owner Hamburger Marys Bar and Grill Tampa, FL. A daily dose of neighborhood news delivered to your inbox every morning. So far he has fielded offers from chambers of commerce, restaurants and other commercial properties. The original Hamburger Mary’s was a funky, friendly dive put together on a shoe-string budget. DNAinfo first reported the restaurant's suspended license. Back in August, city officials cited the restaurant for storing for the improper temperatures, a few flies, poor hygiene and mice droppings in the beer storage area and behind the bar. Hamburger Marys Long Beach is located at 330 Pine Ave, Long Beach CA. Athletes. While there are some strict standards for all Hamburger Mary’s franchises to assure quality and consistency, we offer the most flexibility in operating your restaurant. "Mary" in the name is a reference to the slang descriptor "Mary" used for gay men as far back as the early 1900s. It was a funky friendly dive put together on a shoe-string budget. Identical twin brothers Ashley and Brandon Wright, co-owners of Hamburger Mary’s, a flamboyant franchise of LGBT-friendly restaurants that serve gourmet burgers and cocktails, along with drag shows and nightly entertainment, each work undercover as the other watches via a live video feed. Andersonville restaurant/bar closed on St. Patrick's Day after inspection. With humble beginnings, Hamburger Mary’s quickly grew into a staple, and is now the only national franchise with a strong history in the LGBTQ community. Hamburger Mayr's retail space has been listed for sale. “It’s just hard to do business in Andersonville,” said Brandon Wright, co-owner of the restaurant chain. The mismatched flatware & dishes, kooky artwork and antiques added to the kitsch and charm of the place. "It's just hard to do business in Andersonville," he said. Other. And if they move, they’ll open another Chicago location. SE. He said the listing went on the market nearly three weeks ago. Co-owner Ashley Wright prepares for a drag show at Hamburger Mary's. This includes directly interviewing sources and research / analysis of primary source documents. Movies. Two weeks after the failed inspection, city officials made another visit and found management had cleaned up the restaurant, earning them a pass. About Us. “The business space is up for sale and our hope is that we are able to move somewhere with a bigger dining area and less rent,” he said. But the owner said the restaurant, 5400 N. Clark St., isn’t going anywhere for at least a year. Nov 2010 – Present 9 years 1 month. “And that goes for all the small businesses in Andersonville.”. The district is laying out several different plans and time frames for an eventual return, but will rely on schools to create specific plans. It's not the first time the restaurant has failed an inspection. Posted on May 16, 2016 | 03:20pm. Television. Co-owner Brandon Wright said it is an "exploratory listing. But Wright made it clear Hamburger Mary’s will be staying at its current location for the foreseeable future and that the restaurant is not closing. Here’s What They’re Telling Parents So Far, Hundreds Of Holiday Decorations For Sale From ‘Wreaths Of LUV’ Program Teaching Workplace Skills. Hamburger Mary's owners, brothers Ashley and Brandon Wright, wouldn't specify why the city shut the restaurant down. "We are extremely disappointed with the overzealousness of the health department here," Ashley Wright wrote. Realtor Tim Rasmussen, with SVN Restaurant Resource Group, said they are selling “the leasehold interest.” In other words, they are selling Hamburger Mary’s rights to the lease the space. Subscribe to Block Club Chicago. Wright said his employees have been looped in every step of the way. Among the most recent victims were 55 people in Cook County, including a man in his 30s. There are many reasons for opening a Hamburger Mary’s franchise, but perhaps the best one is that you can finally be your own boss! "We had a few health code issues, which we thought were rather routine. Primary category in which blog post is published, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Lincoln Square, North Center, Irving Park, Learn more about Civil’s Credibility Indicators, Coronavirus Kills 197 More Illinoisans Since Wednesday, Bringing Death Toll To 12,029, Chicago Could Reopen Schools In January. The owners of Hamburger Mary's hope to open on Wednesday after health code violations shut down the Andersonville restaurant today. Hamburger Mary's Bar & Grille is a gay-themed and LGBT-friendly burger restaurant chain that started in San Francisco, California, in 1972. A green department of public health sign, dated March 17, was posted on a restaurant window reading that the license was suspended. But I guess the health department wasn't satisfied, so they are giving us time to clear it up. "It's just hard to do business in Andersonville," he said. “We can only charge so much for a hamburger,” he said. It was an “open-air bar and grille for open-minded people” (a motto we still use today), where everyone was welcome. Twelve youths and young adults are being paid an $800 stipend for the 10-week program, where they create holiday decorations and learn workplace skills and etiquette. With humble beginnings as an eclectic late-night beer and burger joint, Hamburger Mary’s quickly established itself as a staple in the LGBT community. In 1972 the original Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille was introduced in San Francisco as an “open air bar & grille for open minded people”. “Even a gourmet one.”. Hamburger Mary's owners, brothers Ashley and Brandon Wright, wouldn't specify why the city shut the restaurant down. DJ Smukrs. We aren’t looking for world domination, with a gazillion “cookie-cutter” locations all robotically moving to the same beat. Cannon Doll-X Roller Derby. ANDERSONVILLE — Hamburger Mary’s, the iconic LGBTQ-friendly burger chain, has listed its Chicago location for sale. Co-owner Brandon Wright said it is an "exploratory listing. Wright said rising costs are “outpacing the price increases” the burger chain charges. Jan. 2019: Hamburger Mary's owner claims health department targeted his restaurant for being gay Everything you need to know about hepatitis A in the Tampa Bay area Do stories like this matter to you? A green department of public health sign, … But the owner said the restaurant, 5400 N. Clark St., isn’t going anywhere for at least a year. "Of course it didn't help they showed up the day after a record-busy weekend, so things weren't as clean as they should have been.".