TULSA — A Tulsa staple was torn down Tuesday morning after 33 years in business.
Arnold's Old Fashioned Hamburgers announced in February that they were closing.
Owner Frank Arnold said the land his restaurant sits on now has a corporate owner who has decided to put a Taco Bell in its place.
He said business is business and he understands.
In about 18 months, a new Arnold's Old Fashioned Hamburgers will open across the street from their longtime location. Arnold said it will be bigger and better than the last.
A silver lining of closing the restaurant's doors is the amount of people who stopped by to share their memories of the restaurant.
"Hearing the stories of people that grew up here, eating there as a child," Arnold said. "Now, they're bringing their kids and even fourth generations are eating here. That's brought grandkids and kids. It's real heart-touching, because it's jut a special place."
He said people have been driving in from McAlester and Bartlesville for a burger since the announcement.
Arnold said he has has seen his sales almost double, too. On a normal day he would serve anywhere from 800 to 1,000 customers. Since the announcement, he said it has been more like 1,500 to 2,000.
Arnold is opening a temporary location in the Crystal City Shopping Center at 42nd Street and Southwest Boulevard in about 10 days.
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