Wisconsin’s ‘Solid Gold McDonald’s’ Was Truly One-of-a-Kind

Faithful readers of mine know I'm fascinated by the history of McDonald's, and the evolution of the fast food mecca. I wrote about the mystique surrounding "single-arch" McDonald's restaurants at one point. I found one of the most unique Mickey D's exists in Fort Dells, WI. And, of course, I reached out to Don Gorske, the world-record holder for most Big Macs eaten, for an interview, and ended up becoming friends/pen-pals with the man himself.

It was only a matter of time before I learned about how Wisconsin played another role in McDonald's amazing history. In the town of Greenfield, located in Milwaukee County, there once existed a location known as the "Solid Gold McDonald's," unlike any Golden Arches you've ever seen.

READ MORE: Don Gorske Eats His 35,000th Big Mac in Fond Du Lac, WI

The History of the "Solid Gold McDonald's:"

First things first: a big shoutout to the Milwaukee Record, OnMilwaukee, and Mashed for being incredible resources for writing this piece.

Per the Milwaukee Record, a restaurant known as the "Solid Gold McDonald's" once existed for a couple decades in Greenfield, WI. This McDonald's looked more like a Hard Rock Café, and was predicated on a lot of classic 1950s-era diner aesthetics.

The Milwaukee Record even noted some of the intriguing points of interest and pieces of memorabilia the restaurant had on display:

• Life-sized Beatles cutouts on the patio
• Framed records and vintage photography lining the walls (and parts of the ceiling)
• Motorcycle seats used in place of stools
• Valuable dining room space occupied by a motorcycle, sizable figurines of musicians, and the chain’s short-lived “Mac Tonight” character seated behind a piano
• Pictures of classic cars and hot rods
• Chain link fencing indoors
• Bowling pins galore
• The bright yellow exterior paint job
• A mural of rock and soul music legends painted on the ceiling - per the Milwaukee Record

A YouTube Video Walkthrough of the Restaurant Still Exists:

A YouTube user uploaded a video tour of the Solid Gold McDonald's before it closed in 2011. In the video, you can see motorcycles on display, an absolutely awesome statue of former mascot Mac Tonight sitting at a grand piano, James Brown and Buddy Holly records galore, and more.

When Did the Solid Gold McDonald's Close?:

Per OnMilwaukee, the Solid Gold McDonald's, located at 5030 South 76th Street, closed in late March 2011 after 20 years of operation. Soon thereafter, construction and renovation began to make the McDonald's more...ordinary. Everything from the menu-boards to the drive-thru setup was reconfigured, and a plethora of its museum-worthy pieces were donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

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The man behind the Solid Gold McDonald's was (fittingly) named Bill McEssy, and he purchased the restaurant in 1991. Patterson was a memorabilia collector who displayed his collection at the McDonald's, and allowed McEssy to keep them as part of his restaurant. Given the fact that McEssy was able to donate them to charity, Patterson must've willed them to him, or simply included them in the sale of the restaurant.

OnMilwaukee noted some of the items donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities included:

• Buddy Holly's shirt
• Rare photos of Buddy Holly's family
• A Rickenbacker guitar signed by Paul McCartney
• A signed Ritchie Valens' record
• Marilyn Monroe's autograph

READ MORE: Does a 'Single-Arch McDonald's' Exist in Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin?

McEssy, meanwhile, has made a career out of being a McDonald's franchisee. He just sold his Lake Geneva mansion for $20 million, so something tells me he's doing very well.

Read more about Wisconsin's Solid Gold McDonald's on the Milwaukee Record's website, and find further reading on OnMilwaukee and Mashed's respective websites.