Don’s closing its doors

Jackson Bell

After more than half a century as part of the Burbank community

serving its famous fish and chips, Don’s Restaurant & Coffee Shop

will close its doors Sept. 29.

The restaurant will undergo remodeling and emerge as a Japanese

restaurant in December.

“It’s very sad but also inevitable,” said Mike Draper, a one-time

owner and son of the founder. “Like everything else, things don’t

last forever.”

Don’s story begins during World War II, when Don Draper served

Lockheed Corp. workers food from a lunch stand near the facility. He

later built the restaurant as a drive-in in 1947 at its permanent

address, 507 S. Glenoaks Blvd. It was turned into a full-service

restaurant in 1963.

With four generations of Drapers working at Don’s through its 55

years, it became a family institution and spawned a restaurant of the

same name in Victorville and a sports bar in Apple Valley named

Draper.

Although the two other restaurants are still family-owned and

operated, Mike and Cindy Chei, the current owners of the original

Don’s, decided to make the change. They declined to comment.

“There are going to be a lot of people who will miss Don’s,” said

Lillie Couch, a waitress who has worked at the restaurant for 50

years. “It’s a landmark place with people coming here every day, and

they will miss it.”

Joe Palumbo, a Don’s manager, said the Cheis have several reasons

for closing it and reopening as a specialty restaurant. One is the

rising cost of overhead, and another is the increase in competition

from other local restaurants. And although 60% of its business is

from regulars, the customer base is aging.

“All of our clientele, which is mainly older people, are in love

with our restaurant,” Palumbo said. “But their children don’t come.”

Draper said one of Don’s last successful years was in 1991.

Shortly after, Lockheed left town, taking with it an extraordinary

amount of regular customers. Business went downhill.

As a sign of appreciation for customer loyalty throughout the

years, Don’s is hosting a public party from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday to

celebrate its closing and the 50-year anniversary of Couch’s

employment.