This is Roller Skating! Well, it’s actually a late 1960s booklet published by the Roller Skating Rink Operators Association of America (RSROAA) about roller skating. The 24 page booklet, which someone ran over with a roller skate, features everything you need to know about having a good time roller skating and drinking a Coke. It’s the real thing.
Goofy Golf at the Magic World was a miniature golf course located in Panama City Beach, Florida. This series of postcards; featuring the giant tyrannosaurus rex, windmill, castle, octopus, flowers and other “goofy” holes on the golf course; was published sometime in the 1960s.
This Sea World postcard folder was probably printed in the late 1960s. I am particularly fond of Google the Great.
It’s time for another Found Photo Friday. This week features the last batch of photos of the woman who may or may not be named Pat Elliott.
It’s time for another installment of Found Photo Friday. This week’s installment features another batch of images from a woman, who may or may not be named Pat Elliott. You can see holding up a sign with that name on it in the first photo below.
This week’s Found Photo Friday features the second installment of the found of photos of a woman I believe to be named Pat Elliott. These photos were taken in California in the 1960s.
This menu, from the famed Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California was probably published in the late ’60s.
The rotary Smorgasphere™ was intended to revolutionize the concept of smorgasbords. The Smorgasphere™ was intended to keep food fresh and hot with a rotating buffet. The Smorgasphere™ was intended to bring the future to the late 1960s. The Smorgasphere™ was the future.
In 1966, Donald Wulff, owner of Don’s Colonial House restaurant in Manteno, Illinois came up with an new concept in buffet dining. He spent months designing and building a pilot model for his his restaurant. The new idea was called The Smorgasphere.™
The pilot model of The Smorgasphere™ located in Don’s Colonial House, Manteno, Illinois
The idea behind the Smorgasphere™ was fairly simple. It was a buffet that was half in the kitchen and half in the dining area that could be rotated 180 degrees to keep food fresh and mess at a minimum. In 1967, after the success of the pilot model, Wulff patented and trademarked the Rotary Smorgasphere.™
The slideshow above is the entire patent for Wulff invention. It’s fascinating to see the dimensions and the overall size of the the rotating beast.
Jacksonville Daily Journal – October 8, 1967
Shortly after filing for a patent, Wulff placed ads in regional newspapers attempting to franchise his revolutionary concept.
An investment of $25,000 was required to have a Smorgasphere™, presumably just to pay for the construction of the machine and designing a space that accommodate it. I have not found an evidence that any took Wulff up on his franchising opportunity.
The concept did catch the idea of the Rotary Club magazine called the Rotarian, as a brief mention the Smorgasphere™ appeared in the March, 1968 issue.
The Rotarian – March 1968
What happened after the Smorgasphere™ didn’t take off? Short answer is that I don’t know. I cannot find any mention of Don’s Colonial House or the Smorgasphere™ after 1968. I cannot even find an address for the restaurant. The address in the personal ad must have been a business office.
Terapeak.com
The only thing I was able to find was a postcard image of the Colonial House Smorgasphere™ sometime later. The entire thing has a different. Gone is the red and white coloring, the bubble top and sleek styling.
The one in the postcard shows the ubiquitous 1970s wood panelling, a scalloped top with lighting and completely covered dome. I cannot tell from the image if it evens rotates anymore.
If I can track down this card then maybe I can figure those questions out. Maybe it holds the key as to what happened to the revolving revolution in buffet dining.
It’s time again for Found Photo Friday. This is the 5th installment of ten photos from my collection that are not part of another collection.
It’s time for another installment of Found Photo Friday. These 10 pictures are from my collection but I know nothing about any of them unless there is a caption.
Pat & Diane After It Snowed
12-25-72
