Growing up in Los Angeles (my family lived there until I was nearly 9 years old) we were lucky enough to have In-N-Out Burger, Tommy's Original World Famous Hamburgers and Fatburger within easy driving (although given that my mother a health food devotee, we didn't actually get to visit these places frequently). I've always loved that Fatburger was so willing to include the word "Fat" in its name, as it's a moniker that would never have passed muster these days.
On January 26, 2008, Lovie Yancey died at the age of 96. She was the founder of the Fatburger chain, creating the first one on Western Avenue in 1947. It was originally called Mr. Fatburger and in 1952 she dropped the Mister and the partners with which she had originally founded the shop. In 1990 she sold her rights to all locations, save the original one, to a group of investors.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
2-04-2008 @ 9:25PM
Jacqueline Harrington said...
RIP Lovie, I'll think about you whenever I hear "We are the World" and I reminise about a late night trip to Fatburger after recording or drinking!
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2-06-2008 @ 6:56AM
Patsy Wells said...
My husband and I use to go to Fat Burgers on Western
after clubing on saturday nights. I would order the
"King Chili Cheese w/everything, a bag of chips and
an orange soda. That was the BEST burger ever. Sometimes we would even drive on a sunday afternoon
from Rialto just to get a Fat Burger. Loved them.
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2-06-2008 @ 7:45AM
Trans Fatsburger said...
It's apparent that, in order to achieve that respectable longevity, she refrained from eating her own product.
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2-06-2008 @ 7:50AM
george said...
WOW only 96!!!! All that fat and grease must have contributed to his short life. HA
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2-06-2008 @ 8:01AM
Judi said...
A very long and nice life. May she rest in peace, and I want her to say hello to Wendy and KFC.
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2-06-2008 @ 8:08AM
Sher said...
I never see Fatburger in East Coast.
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2-06-2008 @ 8:08AM
Rusty Price@therustygourmet.com said...
My condolences to the Yancey family and to the extended family of Fatburger lovers.
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2-06-2008 @ 8:11AM
John said...
Those of us that live in North Carolina are Fatburger deprived. Just the name alone makes me want to try one. I wish the founder a wonderful eternity.
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2-06-2008 @ 8:36AM
Aja Brooks said...
For the Lotti family: "U wanna fatburger???"
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2-06-2008 @ 8:45AM
tonybndc said...
Red Meat Kills. Eat in moderation
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2-06-2008 @ 8:48AM
donnymote said...
Never heard of it.
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2-06-2008 @ 8:52AM
Aja Brooks said...
hahahhhaa
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2-06-2008 @ 9:02AM
KATHY LLOYD said...
I lived in california for a little while in the 90's and i remember visiting an in and out burger-to this day-i tell everyone that this is the place for the best burger.-i remember driving out of calif on my way home to ny and i couldnt leave without getting one last burger-its a shame theres none out here in the east.
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2-06-2008 @ 9:17AM
Kathleen said...
There are 2 Fatburgers in NJ. There'e one in Atlantic City, and one in Rockaway NJ. They're awesome ! The milkshakes are the best. We get the fat fries real well done, of course some times more than others. Go to the website I know there are more on the East Coast.
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2-06-2008 @ 9:31AM
kchara said...
California has the *best* fast food, I swear. I miss it (being in the midwest now) SO much. My condolences to the Yancey family.
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2-06-2008 @ 9:36AM
jack said...
well give it up, lets all have a free burger, at least you can do that much for us..
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2-06-2008 @ 9:43AM
James Stock said...
Isn't it ironic that she died on Feb. 5th, the day before Ash Wednesday, FAT TUESDAY.
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2-06-2008 @ 10:04AM
Bo said...
Ahhhh....Fatburger. Many a late night was capped off with a King cheese with a fried egg and bacon. I think the fat must have preserved the dear lady.
As for the east coast, Fatburger made a try at it way back in the early 80s, when I first moved here from L.A. It had the bad fortune of showing up in NYC just when the fitness craze hit.
All the food Nazi's (and "food religionists") should read the estimable Joseph Campbell, who once called vegetarianism "the first denial of life" because it denied the natural order of the natural food chain. Yeah yeah yeah...you shouldn't eat a Fatburger every day. But surely everyone should have one once in their life.
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2-06-2008 @ 10:12AM
jake said...
It's a Califu**infornia food chain. Who give's two sh**s about that??!!!
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2-06-2008 @ 10:30AM
Jm said...
RIP, my family and I used to enjoy this place, we went to the one near Cedar's Siani Hospital (good place for it)always a line of people there from limos to bicycles. Of course we went to Pinks, and many of the greatest burger joints in the area, remember Astro Burger, great pastrami.
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