The Gobbler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Gobbler |
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Former Gobbler Supper Club building in August 2010
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| General information | |
| Location | Johnson Creek, Wisconsin |
| Coordinates | 43°05′04″N 88°46′13″W / 43.0844°N 88.7702°W |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Helmut Ajango |
The Gobbler was a famous place in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin. It was a motel, a fancy restaurant called a supper club, and a fun stop for travelers. It opened in 1967 and was designed by an architect named Helmut Ajango.
The owner, Clarence Hartwig, was a local poultry (chicken and turkey) farmer. The restaurant was known for its delicious turkey, prime rib, and steak. A really cool part was its round bar that slowly spun around, taking 80 minutes to make one full circle! The Gobbler was located right where two major roads, Wisconsin Highway 26 and I-94, met. This was a perfect spot, halfway between the cities of Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. The Gobbler closed its doors in 1992, but the main building later reopened as the Gobbler Theater in 2015.
Contents
The Gobbler's Story
Clarence Hartwig's poultry plant was near the restaurant. It closed in 1971 because it was too expensive to update it. At that time, the plant was the biggest employer in Johnson Creek. It had up to 300 workers and processed a lot of poultry each year. Even after the plant closed, the Gobbler restaurant, the Cackle Shack, and the Gobbler motel stayed open.
In 1974, a state group ruled that the restaurant had treated some women unfairly. They were fired for not wanting to wear different uniforms than the men. This was an important decision about treating everyone equally at work.
In May 1992, the manager announced that the motel and restaurant would close for good. They officially closed on July 26, 1992. A newspaper article at the time said the business was struggling. It noted that only a few tables were full during dinner.
What Happened After Closing?
After the Hartwig family sold the building in the early 1990s, several other restaurants tried to open there. One was a Mexican restaurant called "Redondos" in 1995. Other restaurants included "The Round Stone Restaurant" and "The New Gobbler." The last one closed in 2002.
Some Native American tribes, like the Menominee and Potawatomi, wanted to buy the land in the 1990s. They hoped to build a large casino, hotel, and convention center. The land was still for sale in 2007.
In June 2008, a special event called "The Gobbler Gala" was held at the restaurant. The architect, Helmut Ajango, and a historian talked about the building.
The owners had an auction in December 2009 to sell parts of the property. They even sold the special petrified wood that decorated the entrance. In 2011, a local movie called Missed Connections was filmed at the restaurant.
Reopening as a Theater
The Gobbler building got a new life in December 2015. A new owner, Dan Manesis, bought the property in 2014. He reopened it as the Gobbler Theater.
The famous spinning bar is still there, along with some of the original chairs and decorations. The theater now hosts music artists and community events.
The Gobbler Motel
Across the street from the restaurant was the Gobbler Motel. It had a very unique and futuristic design called Googie architecture. It had 49 rooms, each with a fun theme.
The rooms had cool features like heart-shaped waterbeds and 8-track players. They also had round bathtubs and colorful shag carpet that went up the walls. Making the round waterbeds was a big job!
The motel changed owners several times and was even renamed "King Arthur's Inn Motel" in 1995. It was left empty in 2001 after years of not being fixed up. Later, the Johnson Creek Fire Department used the abandoned motel for a "practice fire." This helped firefighters train safely. The concrete base of the motel stayed until 2019. Now, an assisted living and memory care center is built on the motel's old site.
See also
- List of motels
- List of supper clubs
