Boll Weevil (restaurant)

Boll Weevil was a casual dining chain of hamburger restaurants located in San Diego, California, United States.

Boll Weevil
TypePrivate
GenreDining
Founded1966 (1966)
FounderFred and Lorraine Halleman
Headquarters
San Diego, California
,
US
Condiment tray from Boll Weevil

History

Boll Weevil was founded in 1966 by Fred and Lorraine Halleman. The original location was adjacent to the upscale Cotton Patch steakhouse, with the Boll Weevil name referring to a smaller restaurant spawned from a cotton patch.[1] Both were located in San Diego on Midway Drive, near Barnett Ave and Pacific Highway in Point Loma. In the first Boll Weevil restaurant, beef left over from the trimmings of prime steak prepared at the Cotton Patch steakhouse were used to prepare burgers.[2] Because of the success of the chain of Boll Weevil restaurants, the Cotton Patch eventually closed.[2] Entrepreneur Fred Halleman assisted in establishing 20 Boll Weevil restaurants across the country.[3] On September 15, 2008, the company-owned restaurants were closed down as the parent company entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A few independently owned franchise stores remain open.[4]

As of July 2017, the website representing the remaining locations (which are independently owned) lists five stores still operating.[5]

Decor

Boll Weevil restaurants were decorated in a style reminiscent of the American Old West, and also featured pool tables and video games.[6]

Reception

While discussing Hodad's, OB Rag editor Frank Gormlie criticized the food served at Boll-Weevil's as being too greasy.[7] San Diego Reader editor Ben Kers included Boll Weevil in his list of "fourteen more things you’ll never see in San Diego again". He said that while there are still a few restaurants bearing the name, he felt that the food was no longer the same as it once was.[8]

See also

References
  1. David Nelson (March 2008). "Side Dish: The Tail that Wags the Dog". San Diego Magazine. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  2. Nelson, David (March 2008). Side Dish - The Tail That Wags The Dog. p. 186. Retrieved 2015-07-05. [The Cotton Patch's] success gave birth to the Boll Weevil chain (beef left from trimming prime steaks was ground and sold as burgers next door at the first Boll Weevil). As the chain spread like weevils (the comparison is apt), the Cotton Patch gradually lessened in importance and was closed. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. Nelson, Dave (1987-05-21). "Cotton Patch Going Strong at 40 With Same Menu". Los Angeles Times. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  4. Crabtree, Penni (December 13, 2008). "Boll Weevil closes all 6 company stores". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  5. "Boll Weevil Restaurants: About Us", accessed July 28, 2017
  6. "Boll Weevil's really cookin'; chain bores into 7 new sites". San Diego Business Journal. March 15, 1993. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  7. Gormlie, Frank (2015-02-06). "Mike Hardin – Owner of OB's Hodad's – Has Passed – RIP". OB Rag. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  8. Kers, Ben (2014-07-02). "Fourteen more things you'll never see in San Diego again". San Diego Reader. Retrieved 2015-07-04.


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