Burbank in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Big Boy

— State of California Point of Historical Interest —

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

1. Big Boy Marker

Inscription. This restaurant was built in 1949 by locals Scott MacDonald and Ward Albert and is the oldest remaining Bob's Family Restaurant in America. It was designed by respected architect Wayne McAllister incorporating the 1940s Transitional design of Streamline Modern Style while anticipating the Freeform 50s Coffee Shop architecture. The towering Bobs sign is an integral part of the building's design and its most prominent feature.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1949.

Location. 34° 9.154′ N, 118° 20.769′ W. Marker is in Burbank, California, in Los Angeles County. It is on West Riverside Drive west of North Pass Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4211 West Riverside Drive, Burbank CA 91505, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s The Valley — the San Fernando Valley,

in Greater Los Angeles,

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in

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North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Lilley Hall (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Writers Building (approx. 0.4 miles away); Warner Brothers War Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Stage 1 (approx. 0.4 miles away); Johnny Carson Park (approx. 0.9 miles away); Burbank Veterans Memorial (approx. one mile away); Ford Anglia (approx. 1.1 miles away); New York Checker Cab (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Burbank.

Regarding Big Boy. Bob's Big Boy is a restaurant chain founded by Bob Wian in Glendale California in 1936. The restaurant is named after the Big Boy hamburger, which Wian created when he sliced a bun into three slices and added two hamburger patties, creating the original double-deck hamburger.
The chain was purchased by Marriott in 1967. At its peak in 1989, there were over 240 Bob's locations

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

2. Big Boy Marker

throughout the United States. The Elias Brothers purchased the chain in 1987. After remodeling many of the restaurants, bankruptcy was declared in 2000. Only five Bob's Big Boy Restaurants remain in operation, all in Southern California. Today there are 200 Big Boy franchise locations in the Great Lakes region.

Bob’s Big Boy Sign & Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

3. Bob’s Big Boy Sign & Marker

Bob’s Big Boy Counter image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

4. Bob’s Big Boy Counter

Bob's Big Boy Car Hop image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

5. Bob's Big Boy Car Hop

Big Boy Display Inside the Restaurant. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

6. Big Boy Display Inside the Restaurant.

The Front of Bob's Big Boy Restaurant image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

7. The Front of Bob's Big Boy Restaurant

Bob's Big Boy Car Hop Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, May 20, 2010

8. Bob's Big Boy Car Hop Sign

Bob’s Big Boy image. Click for full size.

courtesy Bob’s Big Boy

9. Bob’s Big Boy

Photographed by Craig Baker, January 14, 2020

10. Bob’s Big Boy

Photographed by Craig Baker, 2017

11. The Beatles

Their booth is in the south-east corner of the restaurant.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 2,214 times since then and 114 times this year. Last updated on January 10, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 5, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on June 8, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. 9. submitted on January 31, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 10. submitted on January 19, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 11. submitted on June 17, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.