Wimpy’s Paradise, an old-fashioned burger and ice cream shop, re-opens for business Friday in downtown Chandler after a 2,000-mile journey that took nearly 60 years.
The original Wimpy’s Paradise was launched by Ken Walters in 1939 in Monongahela, Pa., just south of Pittsburgh. By 1941, he was successful enough to open a second in nearby Monessen.
“Then he went to fight World War II and the gentleman he left them with lost both of them while he was gone,” says Ken’s son, Randy. “He came back and both had been closed up.”
With a wife and new baby, Ken Walters couldn’t afford to rebuild his restaurant business. So he turned to the security of a job in the insurance industry, where he worked for the next 25 years.
“I remember as a little guy we used to talk about the restaurant,” Randy Walters recalls. “He used to say, ‘That’s the one regret I have – that I never got to follow my dream.
“Well, I got blessed with Pittsburgh Willy’s to follow my dream, and now I want to follow his.”
Randy Walters moved to the Valley after serving in the Navy. He worked for 11 years as a painter at Chandler Regional Hospital, but wanted to chase a dream similar to his father’s. His was hot dogs.
So Walters bought a hot dog cart. After two years, he moved his business – dubbed Pittsburgh Willy’s – into a small space inside the Merchant Square antique mall about two miles north of downtown Chander.
A couple years later, he took over a large room at the mall with its own access from the outside. For the past three years, his specialty dogs have won a slew of local awards and a huge following of diehard fans.
Sunday, Walters closed Pittsburgh Willy’s in order to move to an even better location in a small house behind SanTan Brewing in downtown Chandler. He plans to open the new Pittsburgh Willy’s Dog House by the end of this month.
In the meantime, though, the sudden demise of Piza Pizza opened up another downtown space owned by the same landlord, who approached Walters with the idea of an old-fashioned burger and ice cream shop.
And, thus, even though Ken Walters passed away 30 years ago, his dream of Wimpy’s Paradise is about to live again.
Doors open at noon Friday, and the menu will be a work in progress. Besides a hamburger and cheeseburger, Wimpy’s will offer four specialty hot dogs so Pittsburgh Willy’s fans can get their fix while waiting for the new place.
When it opens, Walters plans to eliminate the hot dogs at Wimpy’s and introduce a build-your-own burger menu. Burgers will come with a choice of three sides – potato salad, cole slaw, or baked beans. Chips also will be available.
There will be no fries, onion rings, or other deep-fried foods.
Four or five flavors of Thrifty ice cream will be used in shakes, malts, floats, cones, and sundaes. But Walters plans to buy a professional-grade ice cream machine so the joint eventually can make its own.
Other desserts will include updated classics like balsamic strawberry shortcake, apple pie sundaes, lemon meringue sundaes, and, of course, banana splits.
The walls of Wimpy’s Paradise are decorated with colorful food murals (like the one shown at right) created by Lorie LaPlant. LaPlant and her husband, Dean, own DC Steakhouse a few doors down.
There also is a candy section reminiscent of an old-time penny candy store (although inflation has hit the candy prices over the decades). Walters also is working on getting an old record-playing jukebox.
After Friday’s noon launch, Wimpy’s Paradise will start with hours of 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, although Walters plans to adjust hours as necessary.
