White Log Tavern (1932), 1061 S Hill St, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• aka White Log Coffee Shops, White Log Café • alt. address 215 W 11th St • white concrete log building w/white steel frame designed by owner, Kenneth E. Bemis (1895-1968) • first of 62 Pacific Coast stores in White Log Tavern restaurant chain, all with signature programmatic archiecture • 1939 photo
• Bemis grew up on a Minnesota farm • lost his left forefinger to a machine, age 3 • struck by lightning, age 12 • rode to school each day on his donkey, "Jenny Bow" -Descendants of Joseph Bemis
• Ken Bemis designed & patented White Log Tavern dishes & trays • also designed/patented food preparation machines, one a device that formed & wrapped hamburger patties, another a slicer that rather than slicing a sandwich bun in half, cut a pocket in it to avoid "grease from the hamburger or hot-dog, or the juices from the tomatoes or pickles" from running out over the diner's hands and clothes
• comedian Mort Sahl (b. 1927) broke in at Berkely, CA White Log Tavern, a student hangout • colorful Klondike Gold Rush personality Martin Itjen visited Hollywood White Log Tavern c. 1935 [photo] • Bob's Big Boy founder Bob Wian (1914-1992) washed dishes at the Glendale White Log Tavern • Ken Bemis's son Bill later became Big Boy franchisee for DC/MD area, named his chain Ken's Big Boy after his father
• Hill St building later painted red, became Tony’s Burgers then El Comedor Mexican Grill.
White Log Tavern (1932), 1061 S Hill St, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• aka White Log Coffee Shops, White Log Café • alt. address 215 W 11th St • white concrete log building w/white steel frame designed by owner, Kenneth E. Bemis (1895-1968) • first of 62 Pacific Coast stores in White Log Tavern restaurant chain, all with signature programmatic archiecture • 1939 photo
• Bemis grew up on a Minnesota farm • lost his left forefinger to a machine, age 3 • struck by lightning, age 12 • rode to school each day on his donkey, "Jenny Bow" -Descendants of Joseph Bemis
• Ken Bemis designed & patented White Log Tavern dishes & trays • also designed/patented food preparation machines, one a device that formed & wrapped hamburger patties, another a slicer that rather than slicing a sandwich bun in half, cut a pocket in it to avoid "grease from the hamburger or hot-dog, or the juices from the tomatoes or pickles" from running out over the diner's hands and clothes
• comedian Mort Sahl (b. 1927) broke in at Berkely, CA White Log Tavern, a student hangout • colorful Klondike Gold Rush personality Martin Itjen visited Hollywood White Log Tavern c. 1935 [photo] • Bob's Big Boy founder Bob Wian (1914-1992) washed dishes at the Glendale White Log Tavern • Ken Bemis's son Bill later became Big Boy franchisee for DC/MD area, named his chain Ken's Big Boy after his father
• Hill St building later painted red, became Tony’s Burgers then El Comedor Mexican Grill.