hamburgers – Larry Johnston, Nostalgic Artist

Carter’s Hamburgers

November 1, 2020April 21, 2021 Admin

Carter’s Coney Island

Lincoln Park, Michigan

One of my favorite northern art festivals was located in Wyandotte, Michigan. I always tried to have something for the locals to identify with from their area. I couldn’t resist taking some pictures, when I saw Carter’s Coney Island at 2908 Fort Street, in Lincoln Park, Michigan, which was not too far away from the festival.

When you enter through the door of Carter’s, you step back in time 70 years and witness the two horseshoe shaped counters. Besides an early morning breakfast and hot coffee, you hear all the local conversation from the area happenings.

The food is just like the burger joint. They make old school burgers and fries, or you can have grilled slider, chili or hot dogs, however you like. How about Biscuits and gravy or Ham & Bean soup, made with big chunks of ham.

The painting takes you back seventy years on the outside, so you can imagine what you will find on the inside.

BBF – Burger Boy Food-O-Rama

October 28, 2020January 24, 2021 Admin

BBF

Burger Boy Food-O-Rama

Columbus, Ohio

BBF first opened in Columbus, Ohio in 1961 competing with the McDonald’s fast food chain. They eventually opened 48 BBF restaurants in Ohio West Virginia and Kentucky before it was sold in 1970 to Bordon, Inc. The revolving neon Rotospheres on top of their sign always fascinated me and I’m sure it helped attract business. I painted the BBF to accept the sign, as well as the nostalgic history of one of the 15 cent hamburger pioneers. I also included a few classic cars of the time to add to the nostalgia.

**Prints:**

**ALL PRINTS** are printed on **canvas and stretched on wooden stretcher bars** and prices vary according to size ordered. Most are 2:3 proportion

**Options:**

**wrapped print-** part of the image is wrapped

around the sides of the wood.

**Non-wrapped print-** The full image is on the face, with white or black edges

**(frames and hardware are not included)**

**8″ x 12″ Black Edge**………. $109.17

**8″ x 12″ White Edge**………. $109.17

**8″ x 12″ Wrapped Edge**………. $109.17

12” x 18” White Edge ………. $168.07

12” x 18” Wrapped Edge ………. $168.07

16” x 24” White Edge ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

16” x 24” Wrapped Edge ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

20” x 30” White Edge………. $314.34

20” x 30” Wrapped Edge………. $314.34

24” x 36”Black Edge ………. $335.65

24” x 36”White Edge ………. $335.65

24” x 36” ………. $1,295.00 Original Painting on stretched canvas

Simonton Lake Drive In

October 12, 2020February 22, 2021 Admin

Copyright Larry Johnston

**Simonton Lake Drive-in**

**Elkhart, IN**

The era of the 1950s were dominated with the classic cars we now remember and occasionally see at car shows and old movies. There were plenty of popular Drive-in Restaurants, complete with car hops. Elkhart was without exception.

The Simonton Lake Drive-in on Cassopolis Street has endured the years and is still a place to go for fast food and fast cars, when they have their “Cruise-in” car shows. Oh, yes, they also have the car hops to deliver your order.

Home made Root Beer is the signature drink that attracts the customers. Along with their Root Beer in a frosty mug, you may order a burger and fries, or just an ice cream treat, such as a sundae, shake, or even a banana split. Yummy!

This painting was chosen to exhibit in the Juried Art show at the Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, Indiana in 2019.

**Prints:**

**ALL PRINTS** are printed on **canvas and stretched on wooden stretcher bars** and prices vary according to size ordered. Most are 2:3 proportion

**Options:**

**wrapped print-** part of the image is wrapped

around the sides of the wood.

**Non-wrapped print-** The full image is on the face, with white or black edges

**(frames and hardware are not included)**

**8″ x 12″ Black Edge**………. $109.17

**8″ x 12″ White Edge**………. $109.17

**8″ x 12″ Wrapped Edge**………. $109.17

**12” x 18” Black Edge** ………. $168.07

**12” x 18” White Edge** ………. $168.07

**12” x 18” Wrapped Edge** ………. $168.07

**16” x 24” Black Edge** ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

**16” x 24” White Edge** ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

**16” x 24” Wrapped Edge** ………. $226.14 (Most popular)

**20” x 30” Black Edge**………. $314.34

**20” x 30” White Edge**………. $314.34

**20” x 30” Wrapped Edge**………. $314.34

**24” x 36”Black Edge** ………. $335.65

**24” x 36”White Edge** ………. $335.65

**24” x 36”Wrapped Edge** ………. $335.65

24” x 36” Original Painting on stretched canvas $1,295

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White Castle

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

White Castle

Chicago, Illinois

The White Castle Restaurants started in 1927, as the first one opened in Cincinnati, Ohio. The first White Castle in Chicago was located at Wabash and Cermak, in 1930. The restaurant chain offered small hamburgers that sold for 5 cents until the 1940s. The American term for a small sandwich 3 inches across or smaller was called a “Slider”, which became a common term for a White Castle Burger.

The original Chicago building has become a landmark, as the building has been restored to the original design but is no longer a White Castle restaurant.

The painting was done in my early years, when I started exhibiting at the Chicago area shows. It was a popular item, especially in the Midwest area. It was also included in my set of 4 Chicago prints, along with Billy Goat Tavern, Superdawg and Hot Diggity Dogs, which were horizontal paintings. I added the Chicago Cubs panting later, but it was a vertical painting.

Ross’ Diner

December 29, 2014February 22, 2021 Admin

Ross Diner

Cartersville, Georgia

Established in 1945, Ross Diner has been a part of 4 generations. While living in Cartersville, during the 1980’s, I learned some history of north Georgia and its businesses. Diners always intrigued me, so I took pictures of them and painted the history in my paintings, as I look back to the time when they were popular and the talk of the town. Ross Diner still sits in the middle of the town at 17 N. Wall Street, in Cartersville, Georgia.

The diner was famous for its breakfast menu, which featured their homemade biscuits along with the Country breakfast and lunches they served. They open at 6:30 am and closed at 2:30 pm Monday through Wednesday. Thursday and Friday the hours are 6:30 am to 8:00 pm and 6:30 am to 2:30 pm on Saturday.

Ross Diner became one of my favorite paintings and a popular one for the locals. It was part of my Cartersville print set, which included the 4-way Lunch, the Cartersville Depot, Valley View, Tilley Park, Tilley Trolley, Euharlee Covered Bridge and Roselawn.

I painted several Cartersville places, and some really close by, here are the links…

Cartersville Depot

Ross Diner

Roselawn, Sam Jones Home

Euharlee Covered Bridge

Euharlee Covered Bridge in the Spring

Biff Burger

December 29, 2014February 22, 2021 Admin

Biff Burger

St. Petersburg, Florida

This painting was of the popular Biff Burger in St. Petersburg, Florida, located on 49th Street. It still has the original design and is the only one left from the original hundreds of franchised restaurants that disappeared mostly in the 1970s.

Instead of Burgers, Fries and Shakes, they offered many other possibilities, for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. While exhibiting at shows is the area, it was suggested that Biff Burger would make a great local addition to my paintings. It was one of my early paintings of nostalgic cars and diners.

Other St Pete places I have painted are:

Biff Burger

28th Street Drive in Theatre

Ted Peters Smoked Fish

Pelican Diner

around the sides of the wood.

11″ x 14″Black Edge………. $148.82

11″ x 14″ White Edge………. $148.82

11″ x 14″ Wrapped Edge………. $148.82

16″ x 20″ Black Edge ………. $204.72

16″ x 20″ White Edge………. $204.72

16″ x 20″ Wrapped Edge………. $204.72

16″ x 20″ ………. $375.00 original painting on stretched canvas not available.