Frank N' Stein restaurants

The Phantom Creep · December 07, 2007, 04:50:42 PM

Does anyone out there have any info, photos, or items (cups, menus, trayliners etc.) from the old restaurant chain Frank N' Steins? I believe there may have been a few different chains or restaurants using this name over the years. I remember one that used to be in the food court here in Atlanta in Southlake Mall. The last time I went there was about 7 years ago. The food was hot dogs and fries and they actually served beer!! They had a small seating area that you had to stay in if you bought beer. Can you imagine, beer in a mall? There was I believe a Frankenstein on their sign but none of the cups or anything had him on them. This was right near the end for the place and shortly afterwards they did a huge remodel of the mall and it's gone now. This mall also used to have a smoking lounge!

I know that there are a few different small independent places currently using this name, one in Florida and one in Wisconsin and probably a few others. I'm not really as interested in these although they are still pretty cool.

If anyone does have any items from these restaurants and would like to part with them I would be greatly interested.

Here's a matchbook from my collection...

hhwolfman · December 07, 2007, 05:11:18 PM

Quote from: ZOMBOPHOTO on December 07, 2007, 04:50:42 PM
Does anyone out there have any info, photos, or items (cups, menus, trayliners etc.) from the old restaurant chain Frank N' Steins? Stein02.jpg[/img]

Ahh man that is what I was going to call my restaurant If I opened one. I once was in a steak house in southern Cal, and on the menu they had Frank n steins full of beer. Just like that on the menu. That was a 32 ounce stein full of your favorite beer. Yes Terry I drank two of em before the meal.

I never could locate the restaurant again. The ole swaying. HHW

ProfGriffin · December 07, 2007, 05:26:55 PM

There is a Frank N Stein, (little mom and pop hot dig restaurant here in Central Texas...just off Hwy 290 towards Houston)
We pass it often but have never stopped to eat there.

fmofmpls · December 07, 2007, 05:55:36 PM

Hello Shawn. Great thread. This is one subject that I've been trying to hunt down info on for some time. I could kick myself to this day, but when I was at the Kane County Toy show several years ago, I was approached my a seller who had the entire promo package for this restaurant. It was a beautiful folder which included the history of the restaurant and all of it's menu items (which if I remember correctly, were all monster themed menu items) including fabulous photos of the eatery. BUT .. what I remember the most was this gigantic fiberglass statue of Frankenstein that stood out front of the restaurant! I passed on buying this promo package from the guy and to this day I'm still kicking myself big time! Ever since then, I've done countless web searches to see if I could find any info on this place and always came up dry. Nothing. Not even sure if it's the same restaurant of which you speak. This place may have never even opened it's doors.

poseablemonster · December 07, 2007, 08:10:02 PM

Quote from: ProfGriffin on December 07, 2007, 05:26:55 PM
There is a Frank N Stein, (little mom and pop hot dig restaurant here in Central Texas...just off Hwy 290 towards Houston)
We pass it often but have never stopped to eat there.

Prof,
You gotta stop there and get some souvenirs! That's cool stuff.

Monster Bob · December 07, 2007, 08:56:33 PM

Terry- I think Karpinski owned that kit at one time, and I think there was a Frank 'N Stein in Chicago...maybee. There is still a statue in Chi-town, which I believe came from F'nS, the mug and hot dog being replaced with a bloody axe (!) The statue is now located at a mini golf/entertaiment mecca, west of the city, and was made from what is now generally called a "Muffler Man". One day I will own this guy and stick him in my yard!

Then of course there was this one, which I believe dates from the late 60s, "Frankenstein's Lunch Lab and Boogie Castle" in Chicago. I never saw the place, but the name sure makes it sound like one helluva establishment, eh?...

Monster Bob · December 07, 2007, 08:58:58 PM

BTW, dig that crazy yellow tie on the Frankenstein statue...(!)

ProfGriffin · December 07, 2007, 09:01:57 PM

Boogie Castle?

LOL.

That MUST'VE been a hoot!
Thanks for the GREAT pics!

1975 · December 07, 2007, 09:27:25 PM

Pretty positive there was one in Western New York, not too long ago either.

The Phantom Creep · December 07, 2007, 11:34:34 PM

Boogie Castle?!?!?!?!?!? What the...

Man what a name! Well this has already been worth it just to see that matchbook! Thanks Bob!!

Prof. Griffin, come on man ya gotta stop at that place! How can ya pass it up? Get some photos while you're at it. Please?

Terry, whoa big regret there. I would love to see that stuff.

That statue is indeed a modified muffler man and I kinda doubt it was connected to a Frank N' Stein, but I could be wrong. The hands, unless redone which is entirely possible, don't seem right for holding said items. That statue is located at the Haunted Trails Amusement Park in Burbank, Illinois. They also have one of the craziest Creature from the Black Lagoon statues I've ever seen.

Monster Bob · December 07, 2007, 11:52:04 PM

Zombo- Not sure how accurate the information was, but I remember reading a newspaper article in the 70s? 80s? about this Frank figure (before these things were called Muffler Men), and it was in the article that it was stated that it came from a restaurant I'm pretty sure called FnS), and had a beer stein and hot dog in its hands before it was converted to the axe. May have been complete malarky and you're right, it doesn't look possible, but I think they showed a "before" photo holding the mug and dog. Then again, maybe it was an acid trip.

Addendum- You know, after revisiting my memory, it may well have had different hands, but I'm 99.9% sure I remember the mug 'n dog photo. The hands in the photo above are obviously Muffler Guy hands, but look at the thing...it is indeed a true "Frankenstein", slaped together with all kinds of fiberglass parts from different figures. There's a place in WI that has been making these fiberglass things for decades.

Monster Bob · December 08, 2007, 12:16:27 AM

I just looked around the net, and a couple of guys claim this figure used to be a clown, so maybe there was another Gigantic Frankenstein in the Chicago area, one with a mug and a dog. Somewhere at my parents I saved that old article, but alas, I know not where. Someday, when I find it, I'll post it!

The Phantom Creep · December 08, 2007, 12:36:19 AM

Oh yeah they definitely did quite a bit of work on his face and it wouldn't be too far fetched that they changed the hands. If so, that's pretty cool to know that things origin. Thanks for the info Bob!!

I do think it's odd that these things are now known as muffler men when they are usually advertising tires in my experience. Also growing up, the term muffler men was applied to those figures made out of mufflers and other auto parts.

Oops just saw your new post. Well either way thanks for the input and memories!!

fmofmpls · December 08, 2007, 12:59:29 AM

Quote from: hhwolfman on December 07, 2007, 05:11:18 PM
That was a 32 ounce stein full of your favorite beer. Yes Terry I drank two of em before the meal.

Howard .. I have no problem believing that whatsoever. Wait a minute. I do find it hard to believe. Knowing you, you had to have at least three of four? Come to Mpls and I'll buy you a few.

fmofmpls · December 08, 2007, 01:05:52 AM

Quote from: Monster Bob on December 07, 2007, 11:52:04 PM
There's a place in WI that has been making these fiberglass things for decades.

Indeed. In fact, I've been meaning to pay visit there. The company's name is called FAST CORP. Kirk Demarais of the Secret Fun Spot (and blog) did just that. To read a wonderful blog entry of his visit, complete with pics, click here - http://secretfunspot.blogspot.com/2006/09/birthplace-and-deathplace-of_15.html