Dear Glenview Friends,
I want to share a story with you. A story about Glenview's famous Hackney burger, and how the days of Prohibition are, in part, what made this burger so well-known.
Prohibition was ratified as the 18th Amendment of the United States in the year 1919. This law made it illegal to produce, to distribute and to consume alcoholic beverages. However, the law did not dispel Chicagoans' desire for a burger and a brew. In the northern Glenview, patrons enjoyed the lunch and dinner option at Hackney’s in Glenview.
Around 1925, the young widow Liz Masterson kept herself busy with her young sons, two very active boys. Before too long, Liz met Frank Engels. What a happy time they had together. Frank’s family embraced Liz and her boys.
In particular, Frank’s Aunt Bebe and her husband, Jack Hackney came to care for the young family. Both the Engels and Hackney’s moved to Glenview. Liz and Frank opened a small restaurant on the ground floor of their two-story home between Lake and Waukegan. Before long, Aunt Bebe and Jack came to help out in the restaurant.
Bebe was excited as she loved to cook! She had a great passion for hospitality. Soon, travelers in the north of the city knew they could find a good meal in Glenview. Aunt Bebe’s burger was served on rye bread with a slice of cheddar. This burger could ease the hunger pains of any weary traveler.
During Prohibition, Bebe’s burger and a brew made the little restaurant famous. Legal or not, customers who bought a brew could order and enjoy the burger for free. The still-famous Hackney Burger is a legacy left behind from Prohibition days in Glenview. But these days, it is legal to order a brew with your burger!
Best,
Me Hansburg
