For decades they were declared the unofficial hands down winner of the elusive “Best Hamburger” in town badge — but in less than a month there will no longer be a Roxy’s Hamburger for you to buy.
The iconic drive-in burger joint that has survived countless pretenders to the throne will quietly fade into local lore when the final papers are signed on August 25th and Roxy’s disappears from the local landscape, sold out to new owners who reportedly have no intent to keep it as a hamburger haven…at least not one bearing the Roxy name. In fact, word is it won’t even be a restaurant of any stripe.
Leo & Jodi Wenzlaff are the current owners of the brightly colored drive-in diner, and they say that their last day of business will be August 25th. They sent me an e-mail today asking that I help get the word out that your last chance is coming, saying, “Rumor has it that the new owners are not going to keep the property as a restaurant. We would appreciate it if you could help us get the word out so people have one last chance to get a Roxy burger.”
As recently as 2013, the hamburger heaven was still riding high with St. Joseph-born network TV star Amy Robach of ABC’s Good Morning America touting Roxy’s as the best hamburger in the nation.
Located at 2629 Cleveland Avenue, the burger joint was a hugely successful hangout for tens of thousands of teenagers, families, classic car fans, and football tailgaters thanks to its proximity to St. Joseph High School’s Dickinson Stadium just over the fence line.
Back in 2009 the recession forced then-owner Linda Hartline to close the business down during January and February as a financial move, and fans flocked back in droves having felt the sting of their loss during that down time. Hartline had owned the diner for ten years prior to that and had never undergone an extended shutdown for any reason, so it really impacted fans to lose the place for a couple of months.
The popular drive-in has been on the scene in Michigan’s Great Southwest for somewhere north of 55 years now, so for some people it will be a real shock to see the brand simply exit the community completely. Others have been arguing for several years that in recent years, “it just hasn’t been the same,” as in its heyday.
The shock is already rolling in for many. After the Roxy Facebook page posted early this afternoon that August 25th will be the final day, dozens of comments flowed and it was shared nearly 90 times further spreading the news.
Commercial Real Estate Broker Dan Reed of Coldwell Banker Anchor Real Estate had the listing, but so far the new owners have not been identified, and their plans remain a mystery. Stay tuned.
