Milo's Hamburgers: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Milo's sign.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Sign for Milo's on August 22, 2006]]
[[Image:Milo's sign.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Sign for Milo's on August 22, 2006]]
'''Milo's Hamburgers''', known colloquially simply as Milo's, is a Birmingham fast food chain founded by [[Milo Carlton]] as '''Milo's Hamburger Shop''' in [[1946]].  The chain is best known for its secret-recipe hamburger sauce, and for its sweet iced tea.
'''Milo's Hamburgers''', known colloquially simply as Milo's, is a Birmingham fast food chain founded by [[Milo Carlton]] as '''Milo's Hamburger Shop''' in [[1946]].  The chain is best known for its secret-recipe hamburger sauce, and for its '''Milo's Famous Sweet Tea'''.  


== History ==
== History ==
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On [[April 16]], [[1946]], Carlton, with his wife [[Bea Carlton|Bea]], opened the original '''Milo's Hamburger Shop ''' at [[31st Street North|31st Street]] and [[12th Avenue North]] in [[Norwood]]. The restaurant remained there until the construction of [[I-20]]/[[I-59]] forced it to move to 2820 [[10th Avenue North]] in [[1963]].
On [[April 16]], [[1946]], Carlton, with his wife [[Bea Carlton|Bea]], opened the original '''Milo's Hamburger Shop ''' at [[31st Street North|31st Street]] and [[12th Avenue North]] in [[Norwood]]. The restaurant remained there until the construction of [[I-20]]/[[I-59]] forced it to move to 2820 [[10th Avenue North]] in [[1963]].


The restaurant's famous hamburger sauce did not exist when the business started. Carlton experimented with it, taking his customers' advice to improve it. According to Carlton, "when they started telling me to put alot [sic] of that sauce on their burgers I knew I had it just right." [http://www.miloshamburgers.com/pages/history.htm] Another tradition is putting an extra "plug", or cut piece of beef patty on top of each burger. The practice dates to when the hand-shaped patties were prone to losing their edges during cooking, and has been preserved as a signature of a Milo's hamburger.
The restaurant's famous hamburger sauce did not exist when the business started. Carlton experimented with it, taking his customers' advice to improve it. According to Carlton, "when they started telling me to put alot [sic] of that sauce on their burgers I knew I had it just right."<sup>1.</sup> Another tradition is putting an extra "plug", or cut piece of beef patty on top of each burger. The practice dates to when the hand-shaped patties were prone to losing their edges during cooking, and has been preserved as a signature of a Milo's hamburger.


Milo Carlton's son, [[Ronnie Carlton]], and his wife, [[Sheila Carlton|Sheila]] eventually went to work for Milo. In [[1983]], Milo's began selling franchises under Ronnie's direction. The first was on [[Southside]], which opened [[February 7]], [[1983]].  Franchisees originally had little leeway in operations as the parent company dictated many facets of the business, from what vendors were used to  employee uniforms.  Shortly after the Southside store's opening, the original store closed. (It is now [[The Pit B-B-Q]].)
Milo Carlton's son, [[Ronnie Carlton]], and his wife, [[Sheila Carlton|Sheila]] eventually went to work for Milo. In [[1983]], Milo's began selling franchises under Ronnie's direction. The first was on [[Southside]], which opened [[February 7]], [[1983]].  Franchisees originally had little leeway in operations as the parent company dictated many facets of the business, from what vendors were used to  employee uniforms.  Shortly after the Southside store's opening, the original store closed. (It is now [[The Pit B-B-Q]].)


Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to [[Dean Chitwood]] in January [[2002]]. Ronnie continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services, which sold hamburger sauce and tea to Milo's locations. It is now known as [[Milo's Tea Company]].
==Separation==
Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to [[Dean Chitwood]] in January [[2002]]. The business is registered as the '''Milo's Franchise Company'''.
 
Carlton continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services (now known as '''Milo's Tea Company'''), to sell hamburger sauce and tea concentrate to Milo's locations. The restaurant chain began experimenting with brewing its own iced tea at some locations in May [[2012]]. That practice led Milo's Tea Company to end its supply agreement in the Summer of [[2012]]. The matter was taken to court that August.
 
==Locations==
* 757 [[Academy Drive]], [[Bessemer]]
* 1 [[Limestone Parkway]], [[Calera]]
* 1530 [[Montclair Road]], [[Birmingham]]
* 6600 [[Bellview Drive]], [[Fairfield]]
* 1120 [[Forestdale Boulevard]], [[Fairfield]]
* 604 [[Fieldstown Road]], [[Gardendale]]
* [[Regions-Harbert Plaza]], [[Birmingham]]
* 208 [[State Farm Parkway]], [[Homewood]]
* 1210 [[Inverness Corners]], [[Inverness]]
* 2057 [[Village Drive]], [[Moody]]
* 2020 [[Pelham Parkway]], [[Pelham]]
* 209 [[Gadsden Highway]], [[Roebuck]]
* 410 [[19th Street South]], [[Birmingham]]
* 5887 [[Trussville Crossing Parkway]], [[Trussville]]
* 1449 [[Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)|Montgomery Highway]], [[Vestavia Hills]]
 
==Notes==
<small>
# "Milo's History", miloshamburgers.com
</small>


== References ==
== References ==
* [http://www.miloshamburgers.com/pages/history.htm Milo's History] (March 9, 2005) - accessed 18 August 2006.
* [http://www.miloshamburgers.com/history.php Milo's History] (March 9, 2005) - accessed 18 August 2006.
* Milazzo, Don (October 8, 1999) "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/1999/10/11/smallb1.html Sauce is still boss, but Milo's tea takes off]"  ''Birmingham Business Journal''
* Milazzo, Don (October 8, 1999) "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/1999/10/11/smallb1.html Sauce is still boss, but Milo's tea takes off]"  {{BBJ}}
* Nicholson, Gilbert (February 1, 2002) "[http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/02/04/story5.html Milo's serves up a warehouse in Bessemer]" ''Birmingham Business Journal''
* Nicholson, Gilbert (February 1, 2002) "[http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/02/04/story5.html Milo's serves up a warehouse in Bessemer]" {{BBJ}}
* Mackay, Steven (December 13, 2002)  "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/12/09/daily41.html It's teatime (Milo's style) in Bessemer]" ''Birmingham Business Journal''
* Mackay, Steven (December 13, 2002)  "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/12/09/daily41.html It's teatime (Milo's style) in Bessemer]" {{BBJ}}
* Poe, Ryan (August 31, 2012) "Battle brews over Milo’s tea." {{BBJ}}


==External links==
==External links==
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[[Category:Restaurant chains]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains]]
[[Category:1946 establishments]]
[[Category:1946 establishments]]
[[Category:31st Street North]]

Revision as of 17:40, 31 August 2012

Sign for Milo's on August 22, 2006

Milo's Hamburgers, known colloquially simply as Milo's, is a Birmingham fast food chain founded by Milo Carlton as Milo's Hamburger Shop in 1946. The chain is best known for its secret-recipe hamburger sauce, and for its Milo's Famous Sweet Tea.

History

Milo Carlton got his start in the restaurant business by working for one of his brothers at a restaurant called Dipsey Doodle in 1939. The following year, Carlton joined the National Guard and was mobilized in 1941. He was assigned to the Food Service Division and served through World War II, being discharged in 1945.

On April 16, 1946, Carlton, with his wife Bea, opened the original Milo's Hamburger Shop at 31st Street and 12th Avenue North in Norwood. The restaurant remained there until the construction of I-20/I-59 forced it to move to 2820 10th Avenue North in 1963.

The restaurant's famous hamburger sauce did not exist when the business started. Carlton experimented with it, taking his customers' advice to improve it. According to Carlton, "when they started telling me to put alot [sic] of that sauce on their burgers I knew I had it just right."1. Another tradition is putting an extra "plug", or cut piece of beef patty on top of each burger. The practice dates to when the hand-shaped patties were prone to losing their edges during cooking, and has been preserved as a signature of a Milo's hamburger.

Milo Carlton's son, Ronnie Carlton, and his wife, Sheila eventually went to work for Milo. In 1983, Milo's began selling franchises under Ronnie's direction. The first was on Southside, which opened February 7, 1983. Franchisees originally had little leeway in operations as the parent company dictated many facets of the business, from what vendors were used to employee uniforms. Shortly after the Southside store's opening, the original store closed. (It is now The Pit B-B-Q.)

Separation

Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to Dean Chitwood in January 2002. The business is registered as the Milo's Franchise Company.

Carlton continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services (now known as Milo's Tea Company), to sell hamburger sauce and tea concentrate to Milo's locations. The restaurant chain began experimenting with brewing its own iced tea at some locations in May 2012. That practice led Milo's Tea Company to end its supply agreement in the Summer of 2012. The matter was taken to court that August.

Locations

Notes

  1. "Milo's History", miloshamburgers.com

References

External links

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