Every Monday for 16 years, Flore Langeslag would make a trip to Burger Baron Kelowna to indulge in the burger joint乌鸦传媒檚 iconic mushroom swiss burger.
The 78-year-old got her first taste of Burger Baron in 1970 at the Lethbridge, Alta., joint 乌鸦传媒� one of the restaurant乌鸦传媒檚 original locations.
乌鸦传媒淥ur office, at 12 p.m., we would line up. All about 40 employees,乌鸦传媒� said Langeslag.
When she moved to Kelowna 28 years ago, she was surprised to discover that the town was home to a Burger Baron 乌鸦传媒� the only one in the province at the time. However, for the last four years, Langeslag lived in Abbotsford and was forced to live without the quench that comes with every bite of a juicy Burger Baron burger.
乌鸦传媒淲e just moved back from Abbotsford four weeks ago. Then I said to my husband, let乌鸦传媒檚 go to Baron Burger,乌鸦传媒� she said.
Not only is she happy to be reunited with the simplicity, quantity, textures and prices of the burger shop乌鸦传媒檚 meals, but she said that she乌鸦传媒檚 excited to be back in the restaurant乌鸦传媒檚 retro, cozy and homey environment.
乌鸦传媒淚t reminds me of my younger days. I feel like I乌鸦传媒檓 30 years old,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭his is my favourite fast-food restaurant. This is my favourite.乌鸦传媒�
READ MORE: The Baron is back, and it乌鸦传媒檚 booming
Langeslag belongs to just one of the many generations of people in Kelowna who have fallen in love with the establishment since it became a staple in town when it opened more than 60 years ago.
乌鸦传媒淚n the beginning, you really felt like you had to live up to it,乌鸦传媒� said Karrin Morris, who took over ownership of Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 Burger Baron five years ago.
乌鸦传媒淧eople have high expectations. But now that we乌鸦传媒檝e stabilized, it makes it even more fun to work knowing how people feel about this place.乌鸦传媒�
She added that the fast-food restaurant, located at 140 Rutland Rd. N, is more than just a place that sells burgers, fries, donairs, milkshakes and everything in between 乌鸦传媒� the Burger Baron team is a family of 11, and the customers are an extension of that family.
乌鸦传媒淲e have such a community here. Everybody feels like they乌鸦传媒檙e part owner and part of the Burger Baron. That乌鸦传媒檚 what makes it exciting,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e been here longer than me 乌鸦传媒� longer than all of us 乌鸦传媒� They feel like they乌鸦传媒檙e part of the owner or the success of the Burger Baron.乌鸦传媒�
Fay Harley has been working at the Kelowna location since 1999, and she said she plans on staying with the restaurant until retirement.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e worked in a lot of restaurants, and this one makes you feel good. When you come in, it乌鸦传媒檚 up and it乌鸦传媒檚 happy. Hearing staff laugh in the back, you know it乌鸦传媒檚 a good place,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檒l dance and tell jokes. It乌鸦传媒檚 a real family restaurant.乌鸦传媒�
Harley乌鸦传媒檚 colleague, Pamela Butcher, has worked at the restaurant for five years, and she echoed both Morris乌鸦传媒檚 and Harley乌鸦传媒檚 sentiments.
乌鸦传媒淭o feel everyone and have a family, it乌鸦传媒檚 good to have that same environment when you go to work. It乌鸦传媒檚 cool that we乌鸦传媒檙e one big bundled family,乌鸦传媒� said Butcher.
Amandip Bassi乌鸦传媒檚 first job since coming to Kelowna from India in 2016 was at Burger Baron, and she乌鸦传媒檚 remained at the restaurant ever since.
乌鸦传媒淚 know most of the customers by their name. It乌鸦传媒檚 a really friendly thing,乌鸦传媒� said Bassi.
She added that she乌鸦传媒檚 never once thought about quitting her job, with the reason being her co-workers and Morris, who she said treats her like a daughter.
乌鸦传媒淧eople will not want to go their work because they don乌鸦传媒檛 like working there,乌鸦传媒� said Bassi. 乌鸦传媒淏ut for me, they乌鸦传媒檙e just my other family. I乌鸦传媒檓 going there, have fun and then I come back home.乌鸦传媒�
Manager Lucas Findlay has been with the restaurant for just under seven years, and he said he couldn乌鸦传媒檛 picture a life without Burger Baron.
乌鸦传媒淭his is kinda my baby. I put so much time and effort into this place, and I don乌鸦传媒檛 wanna go do anything else,乌鸦传媒� said Findlay.
He estimates that there are around 50 regulars who frequent the restaurant every week, while Butcher placed that number closer to 100.
乌鸦传媒淭hey like our food and they like our company. They like our opinions,乌鸦传媒� said Butcher. 乌鸦传媒淚 ask them how their day is going and they乌鸦传媒檙e like, 乌鸦传媒楿gh.乌鸦传媒� That乌鸦传媒檚 why you乌鸦传媒檙e here 乌鸦传媒� you want a burger.乌鸦传媒�
Recently, the restaurant added Amanda乌鸦传媒檚 Spicy Chicken Burger to their menu in honour of Morris乌鸦传媒檚 late daughter Amanda. She worked at the restaurant for over a year before she died a year and a half ago.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 everything. By doing that, it kind of continues her legacy,乌鸦传媒� said Morris. 乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 here. Everybody here knew her and loved her. She乌鸦传媒檚 with us.乌鸦传媒�
Amanda was Findlay乌鸦传媒檚 best friend, and Morris said the two were like brother and sister.
乌鸦传媒淪he was part of this family too. It乌鸦传媒檚 neat that she乌鸦传媒檚 still here with us,乌鸦传媒� she said.
She added that the family-driven approach in the workspace has been key to the restaurant乌鸦传媒檚 success.
乌鸦传媒淢y success is my team. If they don乌鸦传媒檛 love their job, it wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be a success, right?乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t all comes from their heart, as well as mine. So I give back. I give back to my team. Without them, I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be successful.乌鸦传媒�
READ MORE: Burgers are back in Rutland
aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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