Howard Courant-Citizen
Thursday, June 16, 1955
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Giesy and children of the Moline community have opened up a new refreshment parlor at the east edge of the Jackson block, bordering on Highway 99. They have named it "Toot's Drive-In," and will have their formal opening Friday, June 17th, when free cones will be served to all from noon until 4:00 p.m. They feature malts, shakes, sundaes, pop, hot dogs, and tavern burgers. They urge you to attend their opening and will be glad to serve you often.
Just found this from previous post. Toots, originally, was just a drive-in. No seating for coffee sessions. Enjoyed viewing the poster. Notice all of their first names at the bottom.
I just realized that our name is spelled wrong on the flyer (Giesey). Now at some point in our family history it was spelled that way, and there are still some distant relatives that still use that spelling, but not us.
Ah, the memories of Toot's Drive In. That was the first job I had and worked there all during high school. Everything went out the window--no seats in those days. I worked for Beth Harrod who owned it then. I try to stop everytime I'm in Howard and I still like to stand outside at the window and order.
Hey--Rhonda, do you remember minute buns? They were the most popular thing going at Toot's when we were in high school. I asked somebody about them a while back and they looked at me like I was crazy and then accused me of being "OLD." :P They also didn't believe me when I said that the seated area did not exist at one time---that it was added on.
I too long for a minute bun--they were my favorite. Way back when---we only had chocolate ice cream on the weekends. What a treat when the weekend rolled around!
First, I have to ask what the heck a "minute bun" is. Would that be "minute" as in sixty seconds or "minute" as in very small? And then I have to admit that the more I hear about Toots the more I would like to go there.
;D
My kids all live away from here---Corey in Lawrence, Courtney in Wichita and Cameron in Manhattan. If I go to visit them or if we meet anywhere outside of Howard, I am on strict instructions to take them "Toot's Food". They don't care how many hours it travels--if it is stone cold when I get it to them or what---they want their Toot's Food and a lot of it. Corey went as far as to take Toot's food to an office covered dish dinner----he ordered stuff from there and I was going to Lawrence and delivered it!!!! What a hoot!
A minute bun was....I guess..... done in a minute. It was a hamburger bun with this delicious meat mixture on it with pickles. It was delicious. Not a sloppy joe per say, but just unique. They should really bring them back----I may even add that to one of the mutating wishes. That surely would do the trick.
I grew up in North Omaha, where there was a place called Zesto. It was once part of a chain, but I think it may be the only one left. They had soft serve cones and I especially remember their Zesto Beefburger, which was finely-ground hamburger, onion, pickle and other stuff, totaling an indescribably taste. I have never had any other foodstuff remotely like it. It had enough grease in it so you can hear your arteries slam shut while you're eating it. It was, and still is, a magnificent sandwich. I would kill for the recipe, but the only one that can tell me is the one man who knows how to make them, which would make such an exercise self-defeating.
;D
I, too, worked at Toot's for the Harrod's. But, my sister, Janice, worked at Toot's before me when the Giesey's owned it. My mom worked there, too. I started working at Toot's when I was 14 for 35 cents an hour, 45 cents an hour on Sundays. And at that time, the addition wasn't built on so we just had the sliding window at the front. And, those minute buns! I had forgotten about those! Just make a little hole in a bun and spoon that "stuff" (the minute bun mix) into the bun. I vividly recall all the buses and buses of boy scouts come by in the summer time on their way to and from boy scout camp.
I wouldn't trade growing up in Howard for all the money in the world. Those were wonderful days and what fun we had swimming at the low water bridge before the swimming pool was built. Riding our bicycles around town even at night. Small school where you knew everyone in your class (you had known most of them your whole life!).
Frawg, were you ever in Salem Neb., or Rulo Neb.? Rulo had a fish place right on the river that had THE best fried catfish. They were huge. They came on a big oval plate, with the head hanging over one end, and the tail hanging over the other. I don't think it was too far from Falls City, so it was quite a distance from Omaha.
I knew people in Rulo and have indeed had the catfish. It was great! There is a place very much like that on Lake Travis by Austin, TX.
Yum!
:)
You know the hangout at Toot's hasn't changed. In a few weeks when school takes up again---it will be buried with the high school kids hanging around after football and volleyball practice. They get bomb-barded.
I remember when I directed the high school plays up until a couple of years ago, the kids would rush from sports practice to get their "supper/snack fix" from Toot's and rush back to the high school auditorium for an evening of play practice. The whole auditorium smelled like Toot's while the actors/actresses/stagehands snarfed down their food. Toot's has held this magic attraction for many many years. And it's a haven for those older coffee drinkers....who gather around the coffee tables inside and rehash all the happenings in Howard.
I remember as a very young child moving to Howard and seeing that ice cream cone being lit up---don't think it does that anymore---but it's an icon not only for the town of Howard, but still for many a boy scout troop and those who travel south on highway 99.
Each of my children had their first ice cream cone at Toot's. Tradition! Always stop for a treat when in the area.
Toot's is where I learned what a "brown derby" was. Now I think they just call them "Dip Cones". Come on......brown derby is so much more imaginative!!! Wonder what I'd get if I went there this evening and asked for a brown derby? :o Dare all of you living in the vicinity to do the same in the next 24 hours or so. It may just start a new craze......... ;D
Better yet ask for the Minute Bun. Maybe they could bring it back.
The minute bun was my very very favorite --Oh I wish I had one RIGHT NOW !!!
those girls would be running around like crazy looking for a brown derby hat. No, they wouldn't on second thought, they probably wouldn't know what one of those are either. Just us "older" generation. ;)
I too grew up in the hayday's of Toot's Drive-Inn. I lived in Moline, only 2 houses north of the Giesy's. I worked at the bakery in Moline from 1957-1961. Jack Giesy bought many, many buns for the wonderful burgers at that bakery. During the month of August, the Campbell's would close the bakery and usually go to Canada fishing. Before they closed each summer, Jack Giesy would buy several hundred dozen buns to last him until they reopened after Labor Day.
QuoteThe minute bun was my very very favorite --Oh I wish I had one RIGHT NOW !!!
OK, Please fill the younger generation in on what a Minute Bun was.
The minute bun that was served by Elizabeth Harrod was soooooooo yummy. A hamburger bun filled with a seasoned tomato based hamburger mixture, sort of like a sloppy joe, but with dill pickle slices. Oh my gosh, I loved those.