Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark De Lange.
Mark, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The year 1972 ushered in Liza Minnelli’s Oscar-winning performance in Cabaret, the technology breakthrough of Atari’s “PONG,” and the introduction of Hamburger Mary’s to the SoMa district of San Francisco.
The original Hamburger Mary’s was a funky, friendly dive put together on a shoe-string budget. With humble beginnings as an eclectic late-night beer and burger joint, Hamburger Mary’s quickly established itself as a staple in the LGBT community. The mismatched flatware & dishes, kooky artwork, and antiques added to the kitsch and charm of the place. It was an “open-air bar and grille for open-minded people” (a motto we still use today), where everyone was welcome. The staff was always friendly and personable, and the food was always fresh and made-to-order.
Before long, a second location was opened in Hawaii, then other locations started popping up. Some were opened by the original S.F. owners, while others were granted licensing agreements to use the name. There were even a few “copycats.” Collectively, this was the beginning of what has become the Hamburger Mary’s franchise system today.
We have been in talks with the Hamburger Mary’s Franchise System to bring a Mary’s to Houston since 2004. Location and terms of the agreement were figured out and we’re thrilled to finally open in Houston! Hamburger Mary’s is a classy-kitchen restaurant/bar/nightclub featuring shows and late-night dancing. Voted best Drag Bar and Best Hamburger by Outsmart Magazine’s readers, it’s a must see! Reservations are recommended as most shows sell out.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It took forever to come to an agreement that allowed us the freedom to express what the local Houston market would like (like adding Tex Mex to the Menu) and to have the right location. Plus, food is a higher learning curve than a standard nightclub model – that was a challenge lol.
Please tell us about Hamburger Mary’s.
We are an open minded nightclub/bar/restaurant company that’s obsessed with customer service. Both of our owners (me and my wife Caryn) came from The Walt Disney Company in Orlando and have brought those teachings to our group.
We are committed to charity also! We conduct a charity night every Tuesday sponsoring a different charity weekly.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Setting up my garage to be a “disco tech” while I played 45s on a Fischer-Pride kids record player and picturing people having fun!
Contact Info:
- Address: 2409 Grant Street, #A
Houston, TX 77079 - Website: http://www.hamburgermarys.com/houston/
- Phone: (713) 677-0674
- Email: houston@hamburgermarys.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hamburgermaryshouston/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hamburger-marys-houston-2?osq=Hamburger+Marys+Houston
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
