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The Wedding
Something old, something new... There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Well, actually it was outdoors, between the Bantam Market and Kenney's on Williamson Road where the nuptuals took place. Tim Loughlin (Mr. Kenney Burger) and Barbara Ann Weikle (Miss Biff-Burger) tied the knot, formalizing the name change of all the Roanoke Biff-Burger's to Kenney's.
The site of the wedding was the 'pagoda roofed' Williamson Road Kenney's. This replaced the first Kenney's box style building that was once located here.
A little explanation: When Bill Kenney opened his first drive-ins, they were Biff-Burger franchises. Later on, Bill opened more locations, and operated some under his own name, Kenney's. They existed under both names for a while, but eventually, he decided to change them all over to Kenney's, thus the above event was held to commemorate their "wedding".
This was the Bantam Market located beside the Williamson Road Kenney's. The wedding took place on the building's covered walkway to the right.
Surviving Biff-Burger Buildings
Biff-Burger as a chain disappeared sometime in the mid '70s, but there were a few independents that hung on. One example is Ralph Havis' Beef-Burger, renamed from Biff-Burger, in Greensboro NC. (It was featured in the movie 'Bull Durham').
The side dining areas at Beef-Burger are almost identical to the original Kenney's building in Lexington.
There was a second Biff-Burger in Greensboro, but it closed some time ago. The building remains however, and is easily recognizable to any Kenney's or Biff-Burger fan. These buildings were built in the same style as the Roanoke area Kenney's were, due to the fact that Bill Kenney shared his architect's designs with "Fish" Miller, who built the Biff-Burgers there.
In the same vein, many original Kenney's buildings remain standing today. This one is in Martinsville, on business U.S. Route 220 (River Hill).
Here's the Kenney's in Lexington Va. Its still operating under the Kenney's name today although it is independently owned, and yes, you can get a good Kenney Burger there.
The front counter has changed very little from the way it looked in the '60s.
The dining areas still have the original Kenney's tables.
Eating here is as close as you can get to being back in time at a Kenney's.
Even the kitchen is still classic Kenney's.
An original menu board still hangs, listing items from the '60s.
A framed enlargement of the Grand Opening of the Lexington Kenney's is on display too.
"STOW IT---DON'T THROW IT"
