Frisch’s Big Boy

Frisch's Big Boy - General Sign CoTerry Hopkins‘ dad’s General Sign Company box of photos had these shots of Frisch’s Big Boy’s 3-D rotating sign. (Check out the Garber’s sign in the background.) I guess I never looked closely enough at a Big Boy to notice that he had a slingshot in his back pocket.

When I was a kid, I wondered how those rotating signs kept the electrical cord from getting tangled up. It’s obvious from this that the motor that provided the spin was BENEATH the rotating point.

BUT, how about signs that had lights in the rotating part? Did they get their power from contacts that slipped as they rotated? I’m sure someone is going to come up with an answer that is going to make me feel really foolish. (You can click on the photos to make them larger.)

Did Cape have a Frisch’s?

Frisch's Big Boy - General Sign CoThe building has General Sign Company on it, but the Big Boy is going for a ride in a truck that says Operle Poster Advertising, Paducah, KY, on its side.

I wonder if the Big Boy was headed for Kentucky? I don’t recall any Frisch’s stores in our area.

8 Replies to “Frisch’s Big Boy”

  1. There was a Shoney’s where Denny’s is now. However, I don’t think they used the Big Boy sign. I did see one in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1989 and it was really large and the restaurant was a popular place on a motel area. The local folks were very true to the family owned businesses though.

  2. I am glad I’m not the only one who couldn’t figure that out as a kid. I grew up in south Detroit and there was a Big Boy in every town. Now I’m hungry for a patty melt.

  3. Frisch’s Big Boy restaurants are numerous east of Missouri. As a matter of fact Jan and I ate at one last month in Hamilton Ohio. To my knowledge there haven’t been any Frisch’s in Missouri. There were Stoney’s Big Boy restaurants in Missouri but I haven’t seen any of them lately. The one nearest us in OFallon Missouri closed some time ago. I am not sure why they closed as they always seem to be busy and had a decent buffet and menu.

  4. We ate at Frisch’s Big Boy when we lived in the Louisville area in the early 60’s. First time I ever had mayo on a burger.

  5. Those rotators usually used slip rings to power items on the rotor. Kind of similar to a rectractable cord or light reel.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *