Hamburger Mary’s, a beloved drag themed restaurant and supper club in St. Louis, will be returning this January with new owners in an all-new location with a superstar lineup of drag queen entertainers.
For those unfamiliar, Hamburger Mary’s bills itself as, “an open air restaurant for the open minded. Everyone is welcome and nowhere else in the city can you see people from all walks of life gathering to watch a drag show, sing a showtune, play Charity Bingo or test their knowledge with some Double Trouble Trivia.”
When it comes to drag, no one does it better than the Miss Gay America pageant–since 1972, the world’s first, longest running, and most prestigious female impersonator competition–so who better to take on the Hamburger Mary’s St. Louis franchise than pageant owners, Michael Dutzer and Rob Mansman along with St. Louisan partner and manager, David Pardue.
In addition to great entertainment, Hamburger Mary’s St. Louis will be home to official Miss Gay America events including the Miss Gay Heart of America prelim in March (promoted by Pardue), the national Mr. Gay America competition in late June/early July, and the prelim and revue show nights for the spectacular Miss Gay America nationals pageant in October.
“We have chosen a cast that we believe is second to none, many of whom have won national competitions,” says Dutzer. “We are showcasing local stars and bringing in some new out-of-state talent, including (commuting) from Dallas, our show director, Miss Gay America 2016 Asia O’Hara, known for her glamorous production style, high energy, and beautifully choreographed shows. Plus we promise to keep the shows fresh and exciting with a continuous parade of great guest drag stars from across the country.”
Over the past several weeks Hamburger Mary’s has been introducing their home cast via the restaurant’s Facebook page. Here’s the lineup.
“We are thrilled that Hamburger Mary’s is returning to St. Louis. We found the perfect franchise partners in Rob, Michael and David and are anticipating an exciting and glamorous future for Hamburger Mary’s St. Louis, thanks to our new partnership,” says nationwide franchise co-owner Brandon Wright.
Located in downtown St. Louis at 400 Washington Avenue, the new location is a 10,000 square foot former catering hall (making it one of the largest Hamburger Mary’s in the 19-restaurant franchise), which has been renovated to include a stage, new bathrooms and space to accommodate 250-300 for dinner and up to 400 for big shows.
“Since the day we announced the reopening, my phone has blown up,” says partner and manager David Pardue. “It will be the premier location for some of the best female impersonators from across the country. The space is amazing and located in the heart of downtown St. Louis–not only a great location for locals, but is in close proximity to the stadiums, convention center, St. Louis Arch Grounds, and several hotels.
Dutzer, Mansman and Pardue are anticipating the Hamburger Mary’s St. Louis grand opening to happen late December/early January.
