Orange Julep With Antique Cars

The Gibeau Orange Julep restaurant (also known colloquially as OJ or The Big Orange) is a roadside attraction and fast food restaurant in Montreal,... more

by Carole Spandau

Title

Orange Julep With Antique Cars

Artist

Carole Spandau

Medium

Painting - Oil On Canvas

Description

The Gibeau Orange Julep restaurant (also known colloquially as OJ or The Big Orange) is a roadside attraction and fast food restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The building is in the shape of a giant orange, three stories high with a diameter of forty feet.The restaurant was started by Hermas Gibeau in 1932 to serve his trademark orange drink, Gibeau Orange Julep, similar but not identical to that of Orange Julius. In 1945, Gibeau built an orange concrete sphere two stories high to house his restaurant. It is believed Gibeau intended to live in there with his wife and children.The original restaurant, established in 1928 and located on Sherbrooke street, was closed and torn down in 2009. It was not shaped like a giant orange

The restaurant and its orange sphere was rebuilt larger and further back from the roadway when it was widened as the D�rie Expressway in 1966 Its shell consists of plastic segments which were ordered from a local pool manufacturer, and the whole building could light up.
For a time, the Julep was noted for rollerskating waitresses but customers today order food in the more conventional fashion of a fast food restaurant. Rollerblading waiters and waitresses were available as recently as the 2000's. Food can then be taken away or eaten at one of a number of provided picnic tables.The restaurant operates 24 hours a day during summer and reduced hours in winter.
Today, it also hosts classic car and motorbike enthusiasts on Wednesday nights from May to August

Uploaded

November 7th, 2011