White Castle’s public relations firm reports that the company’s St. Louis Store No. 42 in Festus opened in June 1983. The drive-through was added in 1994.
It turns out that Facebook historians are almost as reliable. In response to an online question about when Jefferson County’s first slider provider opened, the Leader got the following responses.
Janet Caldwell Davis said: “I know exactly. Kevin and I got married May 21, 1983, and it opened a week later – right after we moved to Rolla. I always remembered that because of the rotten timing.”
Bill Haggard remembered the restaurant opening around 1983 or 1984.
Michelle Akers-Dicken said: “Bill is right, but I think it’s 1983. I applied for a job there when they first opened my junior year and that was the end of 1983. We used to go there after cruising Main Street and watch the drunk people stumble in. (LOL). Quite a freak show some nights.”
Josh Bishop said: “That was my first job. I worked there in 2000 until 2002.”
Diana Rowland said: “Dan says it wasn’t there in 1980, so sometime between 1980 and 1985. It was here in 1988 when I was transplanted here.”
Sherree Faries Fite said: “I think early 1980s. Can’t remember for sure.”
Pam Johnson said: “I do know that they were open in 1985, because that is where my husband Steve and I first met.”
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