Boogies Burgers
Boogies Burgers
From drive-in to diner: a local legend still eats
Boogies Burgers has been a cornerstone in our community for more than five decades and shows no signs of slowing down. Over the past 20 years, current owner Kipp Teghtmeyer, has carried on the business’s legacy, welcoming generations of loyal customers while continuing to attract new ones.
The past
Originally opened by Sam and Fay Atalla in 1969, Boogie’s Burgers began as a drive-in, serving burgers, hotdogs and fish and chips. After finding success in the early 1980s, the couple built the strip mall on Edmonton Trail, transforming the popular drive-in into the diner customers know today.
What set Boogie’s Burger’s apart was its creative burger combinations, including the “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” a towering creation featuring four beef patties, a mini corn dog and an egg. Unique items menus like The Reaper helped build the diner’s reputation and had customers coming back to see what was next.
The current owner
When the Atalla’s retired around 2008 and put the business up for sale, Teghtmeyer and a friend saw Boogies’ potential and bought the restaurant, continuing the tradition that had made it a community favourite.
“I have lived in Calgary my entire life, and the original guy that I bought with had lived in this area and had been a customer of theirs forever. We were both in the industry and when it became available, we decided to take it over. It seemed like a good fit, being Calgarians so we knew what it was about,” said Teghtmeyer.
Teghtmeyer said the vision was to turn Boogie’s Burgers into a ‘nostalgic tornado,’ blending retro elements from different eras. From arcade games to vintage decor, the atmosphere would appeal to all generations.The approach has helped the diner continue to thrive while giving customers a place to create new memories.
Boogies atmosphere
He says he believes that when customers enjoy the surroundings and feel welcomed by the service, the food tastes even better. With that in mind, the goal was to preserve and respect the original menu created by the Atallas while introducing new modern classics that would appeal to a new generation of diners.
All the named burgers on the menu were created by staff or customers. Teghtmeyer said that developing new items is usually a fun, experimental process rather than something strictly structured, allowing creativity to drive the menu. This approach has led to the creation of unique, out of the ordinary burgers that set the restaurant apart.
“One thing that sticks out to me about Boogies is that the staff have big hearts, and want to make peoples first experiences fun and they enjoy what they are doing so it is easier for them to make that happen. I do not know if you can get that experience from any other spot in Calgary,” said Teghtmeyer.
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