CARIBOU, Maine — A long-standing summer restaurant in Caribou is honoring its roots by bringing back the car hop.
Burger Boy held its fourth car-hop of the year on Monday and restaurant owner Spenser Ouellette said that business has grown exponentially each time they offered drive-in service.
“Every week it seems to get busier and busier,” Ouellette said. “We have the Aroostook Roller Derby here helping us with roller skating in the parking lot, and we’re helping to raise money for them and other causes.”
A portion of the proceeds from Monday’s car hop will go to the non-profit Aroostook Roller Derby organization for members’ travel expenses and costs associated with renting practice space.
“Burger Boy used to have car hops back in the day, and I wanted to revive it and do something different in Caribou,” Ouellette said. “People are coming here and reliving memories of when they went to car hops with their parents as a child.”
The restaurateur added that Burger Boy will continue to hold car hops every Monday night from 4 to 8 p.m. until the end of summer or “the weather gets too cold.”
Jay Olson and Sarah Sutherland of Aroostook Roller Derby skated up to cars soon after the drivers parked and quickly took their orders throughout the night.
Olson, who was working his fourth car hop, said Monday that he too has noticed business picking up every week.
“People don’t usually come out much on Mondays, but it’s been picking up since he started,” Olson said. “All extra tips from tonight are going to the Aroostook Roller Derby, and in two weeks we’re helping them raise money for Caribou’s Class of 2019.”
Ouellette recently paved the restaurant parking lot, which he said will prevent any falls because of cracks or uneven pavement.
The car hop ties in well with the 50s and 60s themed restaurant, Ouellette said. “No one in Aroostook County is doing this. A couple restaurants downstate have car hops, but we’re the only one up here.”
“The food here is exceptional,” Sutherland said. “It’s a great place for burgers and ice cream. Come on out and enjoy it, the summer’s not long.”
“And you get to see people on skates,” Olson added.
The Aroostook Roller Derby is The County’s only roller derby league, and has been around since 2014. The league has an upcoming bout beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 30 in the Caribou Recreation Center.
