Thursday, June 21, 2007

Remember Lums?


Lum's was a chain restaurant that had a location on the corner of 7th and Liberty. It opened in the middle 1970s. Not sure when it closed. It was one of those sit-down places with a wait staff that was an alternative to fast food, but still with fairly modest prices.

The house specialty was a hamburger called the "Ollieburger," named after the chain's founder. The key to the Ollieburger was the secret sauce. On the way to looking up something else, I stumbled across the recipe for the Ollieburger. It's available here:

http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/ubbs/archive/SANDWICHES/Beef_Lums_Ollieburger.html


for anyone who might want to create the Lum's experience. It appears the whole chain has gone out of business.

Downtown used to have a bunch of those "middle" places which were a step above the fast food locations with plastic trays, but a notch or two below the spots that gave you concern about the cost. Some of the others I remember along those lines were Palmer's, Stouffer's and Sweet William.

8 comments:

EdHeath said...

I do remember Lum’s (a decent date with a girl I really liked in 1979, I think). A quick internet search reveals a couple of Lum’s still open here and there (Florida and Plattsburgh, NY?). Pittsburgh has it’s own “middle” or family restaurants in Kings and the inimitable Eat ‘n Park. None dahntahn of course, because no one would take a family dahntahn anymore.

Terry said...

You're correct about that. I guess the closest thing would be Max and Erma's. BTW, it amazes me that they survive given how isolated they are at that end of Stanwix. I imagine the street closing to build the subway tunnel will challenge them severely.

Am I having hazy memories, or was there a small Eat 'n Park on Wood Street between Fifth and Forbes as late as the mid-70s?

Anonymous said...

Yes, there was an Eat 'n Park between Forbes and Fifth on Wood.

I miss the downtown of those days -- it sure is different today. And definitely not for the better.

Remember Sandy's? It was a burger chain that had a downtown location on Forbes between Smithfield and Wood, a few dorrs away from McCrory's. How about Burger Chef? Or Arthur Treacher's fish? And who could forget the lunch counters in W.T. Grants, McCrory's and Murphys?

Doug Dexter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I worked there from 1979 till 1984 Remember it well Made about 13$ in tips a night A good night was 20$ Good memories John carlucchi was the owner

Anonymous said...

I worked there too as a server when John CRlicci was the owner!

Anonymous said...

I did to! Some of rhe girls were Becky Judy Kim beverly Beth ruth

Anonymous said...

Lorraine joeanne and Peggy were more I remember