Ever wondered what happened to that restaurant you once loved and have memories of dining at with your family and friends? We did! And we discovered an amazing website called Lost Tables, dedicated to celebrating the restaurants of our past. We are partnering with the site's creator Harley Hammerman and celebrating these wonderful stories throughout the month of February.
Lost Tables | Big Boy's
For years, motorists who drove along Route 40 between St. Louis and Kansas City saw roadside signs advertising fried chicken at Big Boy's Restaurant in Wright City, Missouri. Travelers were also enticed by the figure of a stout man with a toothsome smile, carrying a chicken on a platter.
James William Chaney was born in Hickman County, Kentucky on January 23, 1881. He was married in 1902 to Miss Sue Ingram, and to this union two sons were born, Emory and Ray. The Chaneys left Hickman County in 1918 and moved to Arkansas.
On June 7, 1924, the Chaneys were on their way back from a trip to Colorado. They arrived in Wright City at breakfast time and stopped for ham and eggs at Bill Fricke’s restaurant, the Silver Moon.
At that moment, Chaney was a bit unsettled. He had sold his stock farm in Arkansas and taken his family to Colorado with the idea of relocating there. But he changed his mind and they were on their way back to Arkansas when they stopped at Wright City.
As he ate his ham and eggs, Chaney looked out over the little town and something he saw pleased him. He decided that Wright City would be a good place to make a new start. He purchased the Silver Moon from Bill Fricke, and by noon the Chaneys were in the restaurant business, serving lunch.
Previous Stories
Remembering St. Louis' "Lost Restaurants" | Miss Hulling's
Remembering St. Louis' "Lost Restaurants" | Balaban's
Remembering St. Louis' "Lost Restaurants" | The Parkmoor
Remembering St. Louis' "Lost Restaurants" | Busch's Grove
