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Late-night fire temporarily shutters original San Antonio Burger Boy
The iconic revolving sign still stands at the St. Mary's Burger Boy.
The original San Antonio Burger Boy, at 2323 N. St. Mary's St., remains temporarily closed following a weekend kitchen blaze. The beloved burger joint, one of the most popular spots for late night eats on the busy entertainment strip, will undergo repairs while its other restaurants remain operational. The chain has yet to provide an estimated reopening date.
The fire broke out shortly after 11 pm on Friday, August 22. Firefighters quickly reported to the scene and all staff members were evacuated before suffering any injuries. According to a San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) statement, the flames started in the kitchen before spreading to the attic.
The iconic A-frame building appears to be structurally sound. During a Monday, August 25 site visit, only a few melted plastic crates and yellow tape blocking the drive-thru lane gave any indication that a fire had occurred. Burger Boy did not provide any further details in their social media statement.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, our original location at 2323 N. St. Mary's St will be temporarily closed until further notice,” a company representative wrote. “We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and continued support.”
Burger Boy's roots in San Antonio stretch back to 1955, when Frank Bates opened Whopper Burger, reportedly with just $500. Beating Burger King at the trademark game, the brand stuck around until 1983, when Bates passed away, and his widow sold the company.
His son, Carl Bates, opened the first Burger Boy on the St. Mary's Strip in 1985, where the iconic original sign still rotates. An investment group purchased the chain in 2017 and began slowly expanding the restaurant's footprint throughout the area.
Though the newer builds don't sport the Googie-style architecture of the original, the company has continued to use retro branding. The bold blue and orange color scheme and clip-art chef mascot are as familiar to longtime San Antonians as the Golden Arches.
CultureMap has reached out to Burger Boy for more information. While the original restaurant is being repaired, locals can get Working Man combo meals and shakes at nine other outposts, including the recently opened 10th location at 7560 I-35N in Windcrest.
