White Castle Building No. 8 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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White Castle Building No. 8
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White Castle Building No. 8, now preserved and used for an antique/vintage goods shop
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| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | L. W. Ray |
| NRHP reference No. | 86002868 |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 1986 |
White Castle Building Number 8 is a very old and special former White Castle restaurant. It's in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This building was one of the few that could be moved! Today, it's not a burger place anymore. Instead, it's a shop that sells old and cool vintage items.
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The Story of White Castle Building No. 8
This building is quite small, only about 28 feet by 28 feet. It has been in three different spots in Minneapolis.
Moving Around Minneapolis
The restaurant first opened in 1936. It was located at 616 Washington Avenue Southeast. This spot was close to the University of Minnesota campus.
In 1950, the building had to move. The owner of the land didn't want to rent it out anymore. So, White Castle moved the building to 329 Central Avenue Southeast. At this new spot, it was known as restaurant #16.
By 1983, White Castle decided to build a bigger, newer restaurant. This new one was just a few blocks away from the Central Avenue spot.
Saving a Piece of History
People in Minneapolis wanted to save this unique building. It was an important part of the city's history. The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission helped find someone to buy it. This person agreed to move the building instead of tearing it down.
The building is now at 3252 Lyndale Avenue South. In 1986, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes places that are important to American history.
Why This Building Is Special
White Castle first came to Minneapolis in 1926. The eighth restaurant was built in 1927. It was made with glazed brick. As the company grew, they wanted all their restaurants to look the same. They also wanted them to be easy to build.
White Castle had a special company called Porcelain Steel Buildings. This company made parts for buildings that could be moved. These parts could be put together at any White Castle spot. The 1936 building was one of these special designs. It replaced the older 1927 building.
A Unique Design
The 1936 building looks a bit like the Chicago Water Tower. It has cool octagon-shaped supports. It also has towers that look like a castle and a fancy wall on top. The people who started White Castle said this was the first time porcelain was used so well in building. Other companies even copied this idea!
Why It Moved So Much
By 1950, the owner of the land on Washington Avenue didn't want to renew the lease. This was a problem for White Castle. That's why they made buildings that could be moved! They could just pick up and go to a new spot.
Over time, White Castle realized people were moving to the suburbs. They needed bigger restaurants there. The smaller, older castle buildings became less useful. In 1983, a new restaurant was built. But people worked hard to save the old building.
It was moved to its current home in 1984. Since then, it has been many different things. It was a contracting office, a shop for accordions and jewelry, and now it's an antique and vintage goods store.
Usually, if a building on the National Register of Historic Places moves, it loses its special status. But the government understood that early White Castle restaurants were made to be moved. So, this building kept its important title!
