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At 75, Prince’s still fit for a king
  
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By STEVE MARK
Liz Flores doesn’t mind sharing her age, especially since her personal timeline is more of a historical milestone marker for one of Houston’s restaurant institutions.
Flores is 80. Prince’s Hamburgers is 75.
The chain was founded in 1934 by Doug Prince. In 1950, a young Flores began work at the Main & Gray location as a car hop. Liz diligently learned every piece of the hamburger business and rose up the chain to become general manager and later, owner of the original 4509 Main store.
“That was a time when you had to be courteous to your customers, but they rewarded you by coming back all the time,” says Flores. “We were jammed packed, and our food made all the difference.”
One of Flores’ frequent patrons was native Houstonian John Broussard, who by the early ‘80s owned his own meat company and was a supplier to Prince’s. Broussard, 57, has his own additional heritage to Prince’s; his grandfather, John Koetting, was the chairman of Rainbo Bakery, which supplied buns to Prince’s. (Broussard claims that Rainbo and Prince’s collaborated on the first round burger bun) “When I was three or four years old, I was already a regular,” says Broussard.
In 1990 Flores, worn by the 24/7 rigors of owning the restaurant and unable to find anyone interested in purchasing the store and debt, was on the verge of closing shop. Broussard had a better idea.
“I can’t let you shut this down,” Broussard recalls pleading with Flores. “How about if we become partners?”
They did, shortly before Flores retired from the operation. By then the Prince’s chain of 18 stores had long been divided between Prince’s children, who closed many of the restaurants and had long left the business. Broussard’s newfound taste of ownership created hunger to revive the Prince’s brand.
“Mr. Prince did a great job of promoting Prince’s from the start,” says Broussard. “We had an advantage because of the identity with people who have lived here a long time.”
Broussard went about growing the chain to Katy Freeway (since closed), Southwest Freeway, downtown on McKinney, Fuqua, and Briar Forest.
As Prince’s now celebrates 75 years in Houston, Broussard hopes to start franchising and once more, expand the roster of locations.
“We haven’t changed one recipe that we inherited from Mr. Prince,” says Broussard. “And when people walk into one of our stores, they feel like they’re home again.”
Prince’s signature car hops are long gone, but Broussard thinks the Prince’s theme still resonates with Houstonians. July 18 has been named “Prince’s Hamburgers Day” by Mayor Bill White.
Most assuredly, Prince’s 75th birthday celebration that day will attract the likes of Melissa Beltz. Beltz moved to Houston from Oklahoma five years ago; her maiden name is Prince and to satisfy her curiosity sampled the restaurant immediately after moving here. Beltz instantly became a regular, even though there is no Prince’s near her home in Spring.
“It’s worth the drive,” says Beltz. “When I moved here I immediately had to try it and I was hooked. The food speaks for itself.”
Liz Flores will also visit Prince’s on July 18 to commemorate the 75th birthday, but she seldom frequents the stores these days because “reminiscing is hard.” One memory that breaks out a smile, though, is the day in 1953 that Elvis Presley motored into the drive-in, in his convertible. After placing his order, Presley sat on the back of the car and sang a few songs to the car hops and wide-eyed customers. Flores doesn’t remember what Presley sang — even now, her eyes sparkle when recalling the occasion — but she unmistakably recalls what Presley said after the impromptu set.
“He told us he really liked the onion rings.”
Flores is 80. Prince’s Hamburgers is 75.
The chain was founded in 1934 by Doug Prince. In 1950, a young Flores began work at the Main & Gray location as a car hop. Liz diligently learned every piece of the hamburger business and rose up the chain to become general manager and later, owner of the original 4509 Main store.
“That was a time when you had to be courteous to your customers, but they rewarded you by coming back all the time,” says Flores. “We were jammed packed, and our food made all the difference.”
One of Flores’ frequent patrons was native Houstonian John Broussard, who by the early ‘80s owned his own meat company and was a supplier to Prince’s. Broussard, 57, has his own additional heritage to Prince’s; his grandfather, John Koetting, was the chairman of Rainbo Bakery, which supplied buns to Prince’s. (Broussard claims that Rainbo and Prince’s collaborated on the first round burger bun) “When I was three or four years old, I was already a regular,” says Broussard.
In 1990 Flores, worn by the 24/7 rigors of owning the restaurant and unable to find anyone interested in purchasing the store and debt, was on the verge of closing shop. Broussard had a better idea.
“I can’t let you shut this down,” Broussard recalls pleading with Flores. “How about if we become partners?”
They did, shortly before Flores retired from the operation. By then the Prince’s chain of 18 stores had long been divided between Prince’s children, who closed many of the restaurants and had long left the business. Broussard’s newfound taste of ownership created hunger to revive the Prince’s brand.
“Mr. Prince did a great job of promoting Prince’s from the start,” says Broussard. “We had an advantage because of the identity with people who have lived here a long time.”
Broussard went about growing the chain to Katy Freeway (since closed), Southwest Freeway, downtown on McKinney, Fuqua, and Briar Forest.
As Prince’s now celebrates 75 years in Houston, Broussard hopes to start franchising and once more, expand the roster of locations.
“We haven’t changed one recipe that we inherited from Mr. Prince,” says Broussard. “And when people walk into one of our stores, they feel like they’re home again.”
Prince’s signature car hops are long gone, but Broussard thinks the Prince’s theme still resonates with Houstonians. July 18 has been named “Prince’s Hamburgers Day” by Mayor Bill White.
Most assuredly, Prince’s 75th birthday celebration that day will attract the likes of Melissa Beltz. Beltz moved to Houston from Oklahoma five years ago; her maiden name is Prince and to satisfy her curiosity sampled the restaurant immediately after moving here. Beltz instantly became a regular, even though there is no Prince’s near her home in Spring.
“It’s worth the drive,” says Beltz. “When I moved here I immediately had to try it and I was hooked. The food speaks for itself.”
Liz Flores will also visit Prince’s on July 18 to commemorate the 75th birthday, but she seldom frequents the stores these days because “reminiscing is hard.” One memory that breaks out a smile, though, is the day in 1953 that Elvis Presley motored into the drive-in, in his convertible. After placing his order, Presley sat on the back of the car and sang a few songs to the car hops and wide-eyed customers. Flores doesn’t remember what Presley sang — even now, her eyes sparkle when recalling the occasion — but she unmistakably recalls what Presley said after the impromptu set.
“He told us he really liked the onion rings.”
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