Genre Dining Founded 1966 | Website Boll Weevil Type Privately held company | |
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Founder Fred and Lorraine Halleman Headquarters San Diego, California, United States | ||
Boll Weevil was a casual dining chain of hamburger restaurants located in San Diego, California, United States.
Contents
History
Boll Weevil was founded in 1966 by Fred and Lorraine Halleman. The original location was adjacent to the upscale Cotton Patch steakhouse, with the Boll Weevil name referring to a smaller restaurant spawned from a cotton patch. Both were located in San Diego on Midway Drive, near Barnett Ave and Pacific Highway. In the first Boll Weevil restaurant, beef left over from the trimmings of prime steak prepared at the Cotton Patch steakhouse were used to prepare burgers. Because of the success of the chain of Boll Weevil restaurants, the Cotton Patch eventually closed. Entrepreneur Fred Halleman assisted in establishing 20 Boll Weevil restaurants across the country. On September 15, 2008, the company-owned restaurants were closed down as the parent company entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A few independently owned franchise stores remain open.
Decor
Boll Weevil restaurants were decorated in a style reminiscent of the American Old West, and also featured pool tables and video games.
Reception
While discussing Hodad's, OB Rag editor Frank Gormlie criticized the food served at Boll-Weevil's as being too greasy. San Diego Reader editor Ben Kers included Boll Weevil in his list of "fourteen more things you’ll never see in San Diego again". He said that while there are still a few restaurants baring the name, he felt that the food was no longer the same as it once was.