During a recent excursion to the local flea market, I came across this HiBoy plastic mug. When
I first saw it, I was quite amused and thought HiBoy to be a failed simile of Bob's
Big Boy restaurant. After some research, I learned that this family owned Drive-In restaurant located in Independence Missouri, was founded in 1957 and has
two locations that are thriving to this very day.
HiBoy is an honest to goodness old fashioned family owned and operated burger
joint, with deep ties to their community. They have supported many local sports teams since the 60s, and also currently support many high school activities as well. HiBoy also throws an amazing annual cruise night that from archived pictures, appears to be an absolute blast.
Their made-to-order burgers consistently get great reviews online, and their onion rings have been voted the "Best in Kansas City" for several years. The HiBoy stores happen to be in
close proximity to the route I travel on during my pilgrimages to
Florida, so I'm seeing a visit to HiBoy in my distant future.
Amazing
isn't it? The history lesson you can get from something as simple as a
retro branded restaurant item. Rich stories and history abound in the world of flea markets and thrift stores. You've just got to slow
down and take notice to find them.