Rex Myers ran a seven-stool hamburger shop in the 100 block of Box Butte from 1927 until 1969.
Rex came to Alliance in 1927 and bought the Star Hamburger Shop with a partner, whose name has been lost to us. The original Star owner had bought and cleaned up a chicken coop and moved it near the railroad depot. Rex then moved on to Casper to open another hamburger shop, but while he was there, his partner absconded with all their money. Rex had to come back to Alliance and run the business here as the sole owner, changing the name to Rex’s Hamburgers.
Rex served hamburgers, pie, coffee, and milk. In the winter chili was added to the menu. His burgers were small, about one ounce of meat on each – what we would call sliders. They cost a nickel each, or six for a quarter. The sign in Rex’s window said, “Buy ‘em by the Sack.” Older Alliance residents talk about how delicious they were!
Dobby’s father, Marvin Lee, was a local butcher and grocer, and he ground all the hamburger Rex used for his restaurant until 1954, when Mr. Lee retired. Rex rendered the beef suet used to fry the burgers in the basement of the Commercial Hotel. Originally Rex used a Coleman camp stove to cook on. He had a big tank on the outside of the building to pipe in his Coleman fuel, and later propane. But a propane leak caused the shop to burn down during the 1940’s. Then Rex built a brick building that he continued to use until his retirement in 1969.
Rex’s Hamburgers is found in the western part of Dobby’s Frontier Town, along the south boardwalk. The building was a walk-in cooler from a grocery in Mitchell, Nebraska. The ground cork insulation keeps it nice and cool. It is exactly the same size as Rex’s Hamburger Shop, and the layout of the counter and seven stools also replicate those that were in Rex’s.
Dobby’s Frontier Town is located at 320 East 25th Street/ Nance Road, Alliance. The town is open 10-6 daily for self-guided tours, and donations are appreciated.