Bob’s Big Boy

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Public Invited to Bob's Solar Event; Bill Nye MC

September 22, 2009 in Uncategorized | No comments

bobs_web_buttonThe public is invited to join the Bob Big Boy, Burbank "Sixty and Solar" Celebration this Thursday, September bill-nye24 at 11am, with a Sock Hop at 5pm.  The historic landmark and American eatery will host a dedication of its new solar power system at the morning event in honor of its 60th anniversary. Bill Nye, known to millions as "The Science Guy," joins the celebration as the Master of Ceremonies.

Additional speakers include Burbank Mayor Gary Bric; Gregory W. Ashley, President, Canadian Solar USA; Robert Liggett, Jr., Chairman, Bob’s Big Boy International; Gary Olson, President/CEO, Burbank Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Lance Williams, Executive Director, U. S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles and Wayne Colmer, Chairman Elect, Habitat for Humanity of SF/SCV, the official charity of the Bob’s “Sixty and Solar” celebration.

In the afternoon, Habitat for Humanity volunteers and the public will dance to the tunes of Fifties-era band, Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries.

At both events, Bob is hosting lunch and food for the public.

bobs_solar_array_over_carport_optThe restaurant is now generating a portion of its own electricity from a solar power system designed and installed by HelioPower and consisting of 132 Canadian Solar CS6P 200 Modules and two SMA inverters, a Sunny Boy 6000US and a Sunny Boy 3000US. Energy generation is monitored by an SMA Sunny WebBox and graphically displayed through the SMA Sunny Portal system.  Click here to see a video of the installation.

For the event invitation, click here.

 

 

Bob's Big Boy, Burbank is located at 4211 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California.

Mr. Nye currently hosts, "Stuff Happens" on Planet Green.

Additional information about Mr. Nye can be found here: burbank_bobs_inverters_1_opt
http://www.billnye.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nye
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/stuff-happens/

Developing a Relationship

August 4, 2009 in Uncategorized | No comments

Once Wanting to Tear it Down, Philip MacDonald Holds a Huge Place in His Heart For Bob’s Big Boybobs-pic-from-sfbj
By Andrea Alegria – San Fernando Valley Business Journal Staff
The historic Bob's Big Boy restaurant in Burbank is turning 60 years old and owner Philip MacDonald couldn’t be happier.

Some fifteen years ago he would have eagerly leveled the place to build a high rise had preservationists not stood in his way, winning the designation of the oldest Bob’s Big Boy in America as a California Historical Point of Interest.

Today MacDonald strives to preserve the Bob’s Big Boy legacy, viewing the Burbank location as a local treasure. It’s also a family heirloom. The restaurant was built in 1949 by his father, Scott MacDonald, who leased the restaurant and the land around it to Bob Wian, the founder and creator of the Bob’s Big Boy Chain.

 

After MacDonald’s plans to build a 20-story high-rise on that location were trumped by the historical designation, he took over operations of the restaurant in 1993 going from working in construction and development to becoming a franchisee for the first time.

MacDonald was quick to make significant improvements to the place returning to fresh made patties instead of frozen ones, adding an exterior patio, rehabilitating the tower sign, remodeling the dining room, reintroducing "Car Hop" service on Saturday and Sunday nights; and having the classic car show in the parking lot on Friday nights.

The idea was to restore the place to its glory days of the 50’s. The vintage building, designed as a drive-in, features immense signage, and speaks of the city’s history of romance with the automobile.

MacDonald’s incursion into the restaurant business leapfrogged into other franchises. Aside from the Bob’s Big Boy location in Burbank, he also owns and operates ten Baja Fresh locations on the West Coast and in Virginia and Maryland, as well as five Panera Bread locations from Santa Monica to Torrance.

For the 60th anniversary celebration of the Bob’s Big Boy iconic restaurant where The Beatles, James Dean and Bob Hope all stopped to eat, the place is also getting a “green” makeover. A new 26 kW Canadian Solar photovoltaic panel system installed by HelioPower, allows Bob’s to generate a portion of its own electricity. A “Sixty and Solar” celebration will take place in September and patrons are encouraged to film their best memories of the restaurant to be displayed on the website www.sixtyandsolar.com.

 

History of the Big Boy Chain
In 1967 Marriott Corp. bought the chain from Wian, and operated it until 1987. During that time most of the 125 Bob’s in Southern California were converted to Coco's or Carrows.

In 1987 one of the larger franchise operators, Elias Brothers, moved the headquarters of the company to Warren Mich. and took over operations until declaring bankruptcy in 2000. Following the bankruptcy, the chain was sold to its current owner Robert Liggett Jr., who renamed the company Big Boy Restaurants International. The company is the franchiser for more than 455 Big Boy Restaurants in the United States and Canada, including the Burbank location. Big Boy Restaurants International is not affiliated with FRISCH'S Big Boy Restaurants, which also own the rights to the Big Boy name, and operates 87 Big Boy restaurants, and franchises another 28 to other Big Boy operations.

Question: You used to hang out at the coffee shop slurping “the world’s thickest malts” and eating burgers with your high school buddies. Looking back now, what most surprises you about celebrating the 60th anniversary of Bob’s Big Boy?
Answer: I guess that I’m 61 and I’m still here. We did this on our 50th anniversary, made a big deal of it, poured 190 tons of sand out there, and I can’t believe 10 years have gone by since then and here we are again.

Q: You had a beach party in the parking lot to celebrate the 50th anniversary. What do you have planned for the 60th?
A: I thought we’d do something again to conmemorate it, tie it in with the community. This time we used a different tie-in medium, that being solar installation, so we decided to go “Sixty and Solar” and see how that works. We’re now joining the 21st century with solar power. We put 132 solar panels out on the car port. The structure was there so why not? So we’re kind of celebrating that our fossil fuel print has been diminished by 10 percent. September 24th is the “flip the switch” ceremony.

 

For a PDF of the full interview, click here.

Watch Bob's Big Boy Solar Install Video

July 18, 2009 in Solar, Solar Electricity | 2 comments

Bob's Big Boy in Burbank is a marvelous example of creatively installing solar power panels on a historic building. This building is registered as a California Point of Historical Interest, and is the oldest remaining Bob's in the United States. It was designed by well known Los Angeles architect, Wayne McAllister, and built in 1949. For more information on the architecture, go to the wikipedia entry for Bobs, here.

The solar power system is in two installations. One is on the carport and the other on an adjacent building housing a Starbucks. The solar power system, engineered by HelioPower, includes Canadian Solar photovoltaic modules.

Here is a video of the installation:

Bob's Big Boy – Going Solar from SportShorts on Vimeo.

Bob's Big Boy, Burbank is "Sixty and Solar!"

July 16, 2009 in Commercial Solar Power | 2 comments

Canadian Solar Inc. ("Canadian Solar") (NASDAQ: CSIQ), HelioPower, Inc. and Bob’s Big Boy of Burbank today announced the launch of the Bob’s “Sixty and Solar” campaign.  Commemorating 60 years in operation by going a modern “green,” Bob’s is inaugurating a 26 kW Canadian Solar photovoltaic panel system installed by HelioPower. The “Sixty and Solar” celebration showcases Bob’s solar power installation and invites fans to participate by sharing their Bob’s stories. To kick off the celebration, Bob’s patrons are invited to register their restaurant memories at a filming this weekend at the Burbank location.  

 

The Bob's Big Boy Restaurant located at 4211 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California is the oldest remaining Bob's Big Boy in the United States.  Over the years Bob's has seen a parade of celebrity names stop by for a hamburger.  Movie stars of old have been regulars, with the restaurant serving some of the world's top musical talent and being the site of the celebrity attended Friday Night classic car show.

 

“Our 50th celebration gave us an opportunity to invite patrons to a parking lot beach party,” said Bob’s Big Boy owner Philip MacDonald. The MacDonald family has owned the Bob’s since 1949 and took over operations in 1993, the same year it was designated a California Point of Historical Interest.  “In addition to going ‘green’ we are using the contemporary tools of a new generation to bring our fans together on the Internet. This campaign is a platform for our patrons to share their Bob’s memories online as well as come in and see us,” said MacDonald.

 

Filming of Bob’s stories will take place Friday, July 17 from 5 pm to 9 pm and Saturday, July 18 from 10 am to 5 pm at the restaurant.  There is no charge; however those who participate will be required to sign a photo release form.  Stories will be edited and posted online as appropriate on the campaign’s website, http://www.SixtyandSolar.com, YouTube, Facebook and MySpace sites.

 

“Bob’s has a very special place in the American landscape,” said Greg Ashley, President of Canadian Solar (USA), Inc. “The owners of this unique structure have demonstrated leadership to building owners across the country. By optimizing renewable energy design and historical architecture, Bob’s has proven that green energy and architectural charm can work well together.  We are very pleased that Canadian Solar’s high performance solar panels are a part of this installation and a part of the ‘Sixty and Solar’ celebration. Happy Birthday, Bob!” 

 

The restaurant is now generating a portion of its own electricity from a solar power system

Carport component of Bob\'s solar array, HelioPower installed using Canadian Solar solar modules

Carport component of Bob's solar array, HelioPower installed using Canadian Solar solar modules

consisting of 132 Canadian Solar CS6P 200 Modules. The system is installed on the large steel carport structure and a flat commercial roof above the neighboring Starbucks. It was designed and installed by HelioPower. The Bob’s solar installation will produce 39 MWh (mega watt hours) of electricity. This is enough green energy to offset the electrical demand of about seven homes; the elimination of CO2 offsets 57,000 miles driven per year and the equivalent of 78 trees planted and carbon sequestered for the life of those trees.  Other environmental technologies applied at Bob’s include recycling and energy efficient lighting. 

 

 

“From concept to design, implementation to a fully operational solar power system, HelioPower has done a wonderful job installing solar power on our historic building,” explained MacDonald. 

 

“Bob’s has a rich tradition of being a good neighbor. Over the years they have given over $500,000 to local charities.  At their 50th celebration Habitat for Humanity was part of the festivities.  This year, the San Fernando Valley chapter of Habitat for Humanity will rejoin the list of Bob’s charities as the official charity of the ‘Sixty and Solar’ celebration,” explained Glenna Wiseman, Vice President of Marketing for HelioPower. 

 

"As the only Habitat affiliate that builds in Burbank and the San Fernando Valley, we rely on local businesses and our neighbors to help raise funds to provide decent affordable housing right here in our community, so we are honored to be an ongoing part of Bob's history and future,” said Jack Shine, Chairman of the Board of Habitat for Humanity, San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valley, Serving Northern LA City and County.

 

Wiseman continued, “This campaign has magic.  It is a wonderful opportunity for Bob’s fans around the world to connect and celebrate Bob’s, its rich tradition and the modern commitment its owners have shown to solar technology.”

 

Additional sponsors of the “Sixty and Solar” campaign currently include American Meat Company, Apffels Gourmet Coffee, Sysco Los Angeles and U.S. Foods.  For more information about becoming a sponsor please email gwiseman@heliopower.com.

 

For more information visit us online at http://www.sixtyandsolar.com.

Follow at Twitter: https://twitter.com/sixtyandsolar

On FaceBook:  http://tinyurl.com/mweys8

On YouTube at SixtyandSolar

 

For more information on the project specifics click here.

 

About Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ)

Canadian Solar Inc. is a leading vertically integrated provider of ingot, wafer, solar cell, solar module and other solar applications. Canadian Solar designs, manufactures and delivers solar products and solar systems for on-grid and off-grid use to customers worldwide. Canadian Solar is one of the world's largest solar module producers by manufacturing capacity. With operations in North America, Europe and Asia, Canadian Solar provides premium quality, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solar solutions to support global sustainable development. For more information, visit http://www.canadian-solar.com.

 

About HelioPower

 

HelioPower has been committed to engineering solar power solutions for residential, commercial, community and utility scale partners since 2001.  A leading sustainable energy integration firm, HelioPower operates in California and Nevada, serving clients worldwide. HelioPower can be reached toll free at 1 87 SOLAR 888 or on the web at http://www.HelioPower.com.