"I haven't had a very good day. I think I might still be hung over,
and everyone's dead and my root beer's gone."
~Holly Black
The Coldest Girl In Coldtown
Aren't they awesome? As it turns out, I live just a hop and a skip from fast food history! In this case, A&W history! The very first A&W was opened in Lodi, California, as a roadside restaurant on June 20th 1919. And, did you know that that A&W invented the bacon cheeseburger? It's true. As it turns out, they enjoyed a lot of cool firsts! Another cool fact is that the night they opened, the entire town was partying, celebrating with a Homecoming parade, the return of local soldiers who had been serving in World War I! The very first A&W root beer was served that night at the parade. A&W has always been my favorite root beer brand, and I used to be somewhat addicted to the Mama Bear burger when I was a kid, but I never heard of, or really considered, how they got their start! I like learning the origins of products. Some have such cool backstories and origins.
Its kind of strange, my dad grew up in Lodi, but he never shared about A&W's beginnings, it's the kind of trivia he loved to share. He was only a year old when the restaurant got it's start, so perhaps it wasn't a big deal, or maybe it was one of those things one takes for granted growing up. I know there is a lot to love about Berkeley, and the East Bay in general, and I failed to photograph or share when it came to my blog. I totally took my hometown for granted, especially from a creative point of view. It's a shame I did that, so I hope to do better about featuring the cool parts about living in the San Joaquin Valley, because there is a lot here to explore. I miss dad a lot, there is so much I wish I could talk to him about, but it's the cool stuff I miss sharing with him the most.
We shared a love of politics. But things are so awful right now that I am done with that. It used to make me feel closer to him, but now it just makes every day bleed the truly awful into the next. I think he would have thrown his hands up too. He was a smart guy. He knew when things can't be fixed... you move on. Finding something cool to photograph in his hometown made me feel close to him too. He would have approved I think. And as it turns out, there is a lot out here to help me heal from the massive panic I felt over the move from the Bay Area, and I am looking forward to photographing all of it!
I found out about the A&W statues by reading the Roadside America site. If you are unfamiliar with it, it's a website that has a nice list of attractions and cool sights in each state. I have a list of places to visit in 2021, because I can do my photography, without worrying about the spread of Covid-19. I am still staying home, as directed by Governor Newsom, but when I feel the walls closing in, I have some destinations close by that don't necessitate my being in a big crowd. I have mixed feelings about it. Staying home isn't a lot to ask of us, and at the same time, getting fresh air, and some time to concentrate on something other than all the doom of a pandemic, makes it all easier to take.
Anyway, like "Rooty", the official mascot of A&W, I have been in hibernation, but it's time to come back out of the cave. I had a ball photographing these awesome statues. They can be found at one of the franchise stores that opened up in 1963, and they are on permanent display there. Sadly, the original A&W restaurant, which was at, 13 N. Pine street, no longer exists, but there is a plaque in the cement, marking the precise spot where the restaurant once stood. I am hoping to get up to Lodi this weekend to see it. If I do, I will update this post to include it.
Stay tuned. There is a lot more to see.
A&W's History
Roadside America
Thrillist
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