Beacon Drive In
Encyclopedia
The Beacon Drive In is a restaurant
in Victoria, British Columbia
, Canada
. Founded and built in 1958 by Bill Pistol and Bob McMillan, it has become known as a "Victoria institution" for its soft-serve ice cream
, friendly service, and local clientele. Located at 126 Douglas Street, the Beacon Drive In is directly across from the 75-hectare Beacon Hill Park
, which does not allow food to be sold within the park grounds — making the fast-food restaurant a destination for picnickers and park-goers. The most popular item on the menu is the ice cream, which comes in a variety of dips and flavours, as it is known locally as Victoria's soft ice cream headquarters.
Part of the Beacon Drive In's appeal stems from the fact that it has been in business for more than 50 years with very few changes. Aside from adding a few awning
s, outdoor heaters, and a new colour scheme the building is still the same as it was when it was built. Even the menu is largely unchanged, with current co-owner Peter Loubardeas boasting that "[o]ur top 10 items have been the same for, I’m going to say, the past 40 years," Loubardeas, along with his father Gus, bought the restaurant in 2005 from Jim Douglas who ran it for more than 42 years, following in the footsteps of his father, H.W. Douglas. According to Gus, and other long-time employees, much of the credit for the unchanging character of the Beacon Drive In belongs to Jim, who was driven by two mottoes — "the customer always comes first" and "we don’t change."
The Beacon Drive In's mascot
and logo
is Beacon Bill, a stylized seagull dressed in rain gear
and carrying a life preserver
. Beacon Bill was conceived and illustrated by local Victoria artist Bill Hitchcox in 1978 upon the request of a local printer responsible for the menus.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Founded and built in 1958 by Bill Pistol and Bob McMillan, it has become known as a "Victoria institution" for its soft-serve ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
, friendly service, and local clientele. Located at 126 Douglas Street, the Beacon Drive In is directly across from the 75-hectare Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park is a 75 ha park located along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait in Victoria, British Columbia. The park is popular both with tourists and locals, and contains a number of amenities including woodland and shoreline trails, two playgrounds, a waterpark, playing fields, a petting...
, which does not allow food to be sold within the park grounds — making the fast-food restaurant a destination for picnickers and park-goers. The most popular item on the menu is the ice cream, which comes in a variety of dips and flavours, as it is known locally as Victoria's soft ice cream headquarters.
Part of the Beacon Drive In's appeal stems from the fact that it has been in business for more than 50 years with very few changes. Aside from adding a few awning
Awning
An awning or overhang is a secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building. It is typically composed of canvas woven of acrylic, cotton or polyester yarn, or vinyl laminated to polyester fabric that is stretched tightly over a light structure of aluminium, iron or steel, possibly...
s, outdoor heaters, and a new colour scheme the building is still the same as it was when it was built. Even the menu is largely unchanged, with current co-owner Peter Loubardeas boasting that "[o]ur top 10 items have been the same for, I’m going to say, the past 40 years," Loubardeas, along with his father Gus, bought the restaurant in 2005 from Jim Douglas who ran it for more than 42 years, following in the footsteps of his father, H.W. Douglas. According to Gus, and other long-time employees, much of the credit for the unchanging character of the Beacon Drive In belongs to Jim, who was driven by two mottoes — "the customer always comes first" and "we don’t change."
The Beacon Drive In's mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
and logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
is Beacon Bill, a stylized seagull dressed in rain gear
Raincoat
A raincoat is a waterproof or water-resistant coat worn to protect the body from rain. The term rain jacket is sometimes used to refer to raincoats that are waist length. A rain jacket may be combined with a pair of rain pants to make a rain suit.Modern raincoats are often constructed of...
and carrying a life preserver
Lifebuoy
A lifebuoy, ring buoy, lifering, lifesaver, life preserver or lifebelt, also known as a "kisby ring" or "perry buoy", is a life saving buoy designed to be thrown to a person in the water, to provide buoyancy, to prevent drowning...
. Beacon Bill was conceived and illustrated by local Victoria artist Bill Hitchcox in 1978 upon the request of a local printer responsible for the menus.