GREEN BAY – When automobiles became mainstream in America, drive-in restaurants began popping up all over the country as the fast food industry began catering to an ever-increasing fast-paced world.
Hoping to cash in on the new industry, the Bresler’s Ice Cream Company introduced the first Henry’s Hamburgers — named for one of the founders — in the 1950s in Chicago.
By the early 1960s, there were more than 200 Henry’s franchise locations across the country — about the same amount that McDonald’s had at that time.
In December of 1960, the national chain ran an ad in the Green Bay Press-Gazette seeking “men interested in owning and operating their own Henry’s Drive-ins, which is affiliated with the fastest growing self-service restaurant chain in America, now operating in 29 states and Canadian provinces.”
The ad requested an investment of $16,000 and one year’s rent to begin the franchise.
A “now open” ad ran in the June 7, 1961, edition of the Press-Gazette announcing the new location of Henry’s Hamburgers on South Main Blvd at Abrams Street, next to the Hills Brothers Shell Service station.
The ad promoted 15-cent hamburgers made of 100% beef, a 29-cent fish sandwich, 10-cent French fries and other menu items.
One week later, the publication said that the franchise location had already sold 14,261 hamburgers.
With the drive-in restaurant also came a “new sensation” called the California Burger, featuring Henry’s sauce, pickle, onion, tomato and lettuce — a “meal in a bun.”
Ads for the business later promoted the hamburgers 10 for $1.
The restaurant enjoyed a little over a decade catering to Green Bay’s east side, but while existing restaurants began to make their move to a drive-through setup, Henry’s never made the transition.
In the 1970s, franchise locations across the country began closing as the Bresler Company began making organizational changes.
The last advertisement for the Green Bay location ran in September 1972.
The Bresler’s ice cream shops, with 33 flavors, continued on with 370 outlets nationwide.
In 1987, the Bresler’s chain was sold to Oberwies Dairy of Aurora, Ill., and became the Bresler’s division of Oberweis Dairy.
The only remaining Henry’s Hamburgers today is located in Benton Harbor, Mich.
“They established a reputation for service and value, listening to their customers instead of the franchisor, which enabled them to remain in business after the Henry’s chain ceased to be a player in the 1970s. This was strictly a carryout business until the addition of drive thru service in 1988, which now accounts for over 70% of sales,” a history for the remaining franchise stated.
The property which was once home to the Henry’s Hamburgers location can be found at 1696 Main St., Green Bay.
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