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Uncle Tom's Cabin  in the 40's  And then   Tiny's Burgers

When I first arrived in Ridgecrest there was a little house just down the street from the Victory Market called "Uncle Tom's Cabin".  This place made some of the most decent hamburgers I had ever eaten.  It was just a little place with just small counter and a couple or three stools but all the time I was in school it was a favorite place to visit for lunch or after school was out.  When I graduated the 8th grade at James M. Monroe it was still operating under that name.  Sometime after,  it was sold to the Bauer's and became known as Tiny's Burgers.  Almost all of the historical experience stated here deals with 'our fav burger place' after it was sold to the Bauers.   It is gone now and has been replaced by something else but I and the people who followed enjoyed the special treatment and good things we ate there.

Tiny's burgers . . .   1961-66......Does anyone remember Tiny and Regis and the WONDERFUL burgers and suicides (mixed colas) they made? I remember going off campus to Tiny's for lunch and everyone cramming into the tiny space. And I really miss the Crest drive-in on Wed. night..Dollar a carload...!!! Teddy (Beene) and I never missed a Wed. night. Even after we were married ('62) we went every week. Saundra Martin _________________________________________________________________________ I remember Tiny's on Ridgecrest Blvd. It was right next to where John's Pizza is now. They had the best burgers and shakes! I was just a kid back then, but I do remember that place! Kathi Ranck _________________________________________________________________________    Yes they were the best. Actually the best I've EVER had anywhere. I used to go there with my friends every morning for a cinnamon roll and a suicide on the way to school. I went to James Monroe in kindergarten, first and eigth grades. Then we went for lunch almost every day in high school.    I moved away after graduating from the 8th grade at James Monroe in 1966 so I didn't graduate at Burroughs. I remember Tiny's burgers being the best ever and I still tell people about them. The last place my family lived was at 421 W. Church St. across from the Catholic Church and James Monroe. I haven't talked with anyone I knew back then since the late sixties. Sure would love to be in contact with them again and I am in contact with someone who knew some of the people I knew. When my family moved to Ridgecrest in 1959 I was in the 2nd grade and had Mrs. Cope. She was a very special teacher and when Las Floras school was built I went there in the 4th grade and got to have her as a teacher again. Ridgecrest in 1959 only had around 3,000 population what is it now? My brothers use to go to the Hobby Shop to race slot cars do you remember that place? When we moved the owners of Tiny's bought our house and remodeled it. The house was old then and probably not even there anymore. Linda (Chapman) Whitlow <>< _________________________________________________________________________ _ Had to add my comments to Tiny's Burgers. When I was little we used to always stop there walking back from Brewers Pool and depending how much money all us kids could put together, we would buy their nickel bags of candy and maybe a couple hamburgers! It was great! The best hamburgers I ever had; then or since.   Cathy Padgett _________________________________________________________________________ Did you know that what made Tiny's burgers so good was they would scrape the grill and put that on the hamburgers, sounds gross but they were great. Thanks for replying to my message. Linda (Chapman) Whitlow <>< _________________________________________________________________________    Wow, Tiny's was the best!! I've never had a hamburger as good since....Tiny had all of our pictures up and remember how we could get a whole bag full of candy for a quarter?? Lisa Camp _________________________________________________________________________ I hate to disagree but Tiny never scraped her grill onto her burgers. Tiny had the best burgers in the world because they were home made, not frozen, and she & Regis cooked them with love. I've never seen a grill as clean as Tiny kept hers. I don't remember not going to Tiny's, I was born in RC in 1947..I was going to Tinys for breakfast in 1960 when I attended 8th grade at Monroe and continued to eat there until they closed it. Saundra Martin _________________________________________________________________________ I know that Tiny cooked fresh hamburgers and it was from the hamburger they cooked at the time that the grill was scraped and put on the hamburger not any build up from other burgers. Sorry if I made it sound that way. They were the best! Do you know if anyone still has Tiny's Place or is it gone? My family knew Tiny and they were the nicest people and I loved them very much. Linda Chapman _________________________________________________________________________   No Tinys has been gone for a long time. Everyone loved Tiny and Regis. They treated us all like we were their kids. The first place I took my oldest daughter trick or treating was to their house, they lived in the back of Tinys, for her first Halloween. That was in 1964...She was 1...They just about filled her bag.... Saundra Martin _________________________________________________________________________    -Tiny and Regis were my mum and dad--my son (Max aged 13) and I have just had a little weep to think that they are remembered) Mum died in 1990 and Dad in 1991--I still have the original     ("lunchtime burger 25cents") sign hanging on my kitchen wall plus the hamburger turner that my mum must have flipped a million burgers with!! Also photos of the place being torn down and a bit of wood that was taken from it with a plaque on it. I teach in England Now and the kids are always fascinated to hear about USA '60's life--it wasn't half bad was it--thanks for cheering me Linda Bauer _________________________________________________________________________ I just had to say how awesome it was to see your message. Your parents were responsible for so many happy memories; so many kids growing up who so looked forward to a stop in at Tiny's! More than you see here, I know for sure. It was such a delight to know you found this discussion. Isn't the internet wonderful??!!! God bless you and your family. So glad to know that Tiny's is still alive somewhere, not only in our hearts, but in the keepsakes you have held onto. There is a certain comfort in that. Hard to explain, but nonetheless very real. Thank you. Cathy Padgett _________________________________________________________________________   I LOVED your parents. I was really sorry to hear about their deaths. They were really sweet ppl. I wondered where you had gotten to and was going to ask if anyone had heard from you or knew where you were. Your parents were very much loved by the kids in RC for a lot of years. I went to visit them once after they moved to Church St. They came to my daughter Terris funeral in 1976 at Lyons. I didn't get to see them, but their signature was in the book. Ridgecrest is not the same without Tiny and Regis.. Your mother is VERY MUCH remembered.. Saundra Martin _________________________________________________________________________   Linda, You had the greatest parents at least to most of us! They made a big difference in all of our lives....I was one of the nurses that took care of your mom at Ridgecrest Hospital when she got sick, and you know what?? SHE REMEMBERED ME BY NAME!!!! That was amazing! I feel truly blessed having known both of them. You son would be so amazed by his grandparents had he known them! Lisa Camp _________________________________________________________________________ . I too remember Tiny's. Cathy Padgett and I went to school together over the years. We go back to the 5th grade. I remember ditching at lunch time (Las Flores) to run to Tiny's to get a burger, fries, a drink (suicide) and a bag of M&M's (peanut) all for 45 cents. Never did get caught. Whewww...... They were the best and well worth the effort. I was sorry to see it close as I am sure many our age were. Even parents too I am sure. Scott DeGeuss _________________________________________________________________________   Hi - of course it was Bauer's Burgers!  Tiny made burgers that In and Out would be happy to claim.  They were wonderful.  When James Monroe had a closed campus for lunch in the late fifties, Mr. Thomas used to turn his back so we could sneak off to enjoy our wonderful burgers.  Thank you for a very fun stroll down memory lane.  Sheila (Evans) Ray __________________________________________________________________________   I lived at 205 Florence St. just a short distance from Tiny's for many of my early years in Ridgecrest. I went there frequently with my friends for all sorts of cheap candy. There was a giant (it looked that way to me as a kid) jar of candy on the counter in which there was lots to choose from. After having made my selection, I would carefully lift my few pennies up and onto the counter (which seemed quiet elevated to me at the time) for payment. One of my absolute favorite candies was a rather large sucker that came in grape or cherry. On the inside there could be found for the lucky a sticker that said WINNER!!. Occasionally I did win free suckers and would skip down the road home to tell of my wanton conquest over the gods of candy.hahahhah. I remember when they added the addition to the side to seat more individuals. Even then the overflow crowd was amazing. At lunch time both Tiny and Regis were working very hard to keep up. No one seemed to mind waiting for the great food...and those shakes..mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Like so many other people in Ridgecrest, I considered Tiny and Regis my family members. We were concerned about them when they were ill or having a bad day, though that didn't seem to happen. They will always be considered by myself as a part of my family. John W. Bechtel

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