Gibeau Orange Julep
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This article's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (January 2010) |
The Gibeau Orange Julep restaurant (also known colloquially as OJ or The Big Orange) is a roadside attraction and fast food restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.[1][2] The building is in the shape of a giant orange, three stories high with a diameter of forty feet.
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[edit] History
The restaurant was started by Hermas Gibeau in 1932 to serve his trademark orange drink, Gibeau Orange Julep, similar but not identical to that of Orange Julius.[2][3] In 1945, Gibeau built an orange concrete sphere two stories high to house his restaurant.[4] It is believed Gibeau intended to live in there with his wife and children.[5]
The restaurant and its orange sphere was rebuilt larger and further back from the roadway when it was widened as the Décarie Expressway in 1966.[6] Its shell consists of plastic segments which were ordered from a local pool manufacturer, and the whole building could light up.[4]
For a time, the Julep was noted for rollerskating waitresses but customers today order food in the more conventional fashion of a fast food restaurant. Rollerblading waiters and waitresses were available as recently as the 2000's. Food can then be taken away or eaten at one of a number of provided picnic tables.[7] The restaurant operates 24 hours a day during summer and reduced hours in winter.[8]
Today, it also hosts classic car and motorbike enthusiasts on Wednesday nights from May–August.[5]
[edit] Drink and company
The drink, Gibeau Orange Julep, is now also sold via retail stores.[9] The company, Gibeau Orange Julep, has had restaurants and drink bottling. The Big Orange was one of several Gibeau Orange Julep restaurants in the Montreal area, many shaped like a giant orange, but it is the only one remaining.[10] The original restaurant, established in 1928 and located on Sherbrooke street, was closed and torn down in 2009. It was not shaped like a giant orange.[11][9]
[edit] References
- ^ Musgrave, Sarah (2003). Resto a go-go : 180 cheap and fun places to eat and. Toronto: ECW Press. ISBN 155022560. http://books.google.com/books?id=lyaqVWzGx5wC&pg=PA150&lpg=PA150&dq=Gibeau+Orange+Montreal&source=bl&ots=m_j2R0-DNl&sig=cu6Jor5G86-lc9NPp4hVcrEqgVg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA150,M1.
- ^ a b Brownstein, Bill (Wednesday 30 May 2007). "A landmark in more ways than one". The Gazette (Montreal). http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=640e67a2-af80-486f-b45c-a920c67d622d&k=96267. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
- ^ Krashinsky, Susan. "Orange Julep". Montreal Magazine. http://montrealmagazine.ca/MM/content/view/144/. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
- ^ a b Lanken, Peter (15 February 1969). "Architects have long dreamt about The Orange Julep". The Gazette (Montreal). http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZI4uAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UKAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=942,3584791&dq=orange-julep&hl=en. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
- ^ a b Musgrave, Susan (2002). "Great ball of fire". Montreal Mirror. http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2002/080802/resto.html. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
- ^ http://evalweb.cum.qc.ca/Role2007actualise/CompteFoncier.ASP?id_uef=%203005112
- ^ Horowitz, Peter (19 April 2007). "Bits and Bites". XPress (Ottawa). http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/food/food.aspx?iIDArticle=11891. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
- ^ "Montreal 24 Hour Places". Federal Real Estate. http://www.federal-realestate.com/info-montreal-city-information/montreal-24hr-spots.html. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
- ^ a b (French) "Historique". Official site. http://www.orangejulep.com/html_f/history.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-23.
- ^ (French) "Gibeau Orange Julep". Fast Food Fred. 15 March 2010. http://fastfoodfred.blogspot.com/2010/03/gibeau-orange-julep.html. Retrieved 2011-09-23.
- ^ (French) Beauchemin, Philippe (30 July 2009). "Orange Julep, la fin d’une époque". Montreal Express. http://www.montrealexpress.ca/Alimentation/2009-07-30/article-745080/Orange-Julep-la-fin-dune-epoque/1. Retrieved 2011-09-23.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gibeau Orange Julep |
- Gibeau Orange Julep
- H Gibeau Orange Julep Inc on HiHenry.com
- Photos of the Julep on Flickr
- The Gibeau Orange Julep at reviewguys.com
- The Big Orange at roadtripamerica.com
