Behold the Burger Mobile

Driving down Westport Road it’s impossible to miss the Burger Mobile parked in front of the Westport Flea Market. It looks like nothing else on the road, which is exactly what Joe Zwillenberg wanted.

The story of the Burger Mobile — which made its debut yesterday as part of The Flea Market’s 28th anniversary celebrations — will surely go down in Westport Flea Market history. But here it is straight from Zwillenberg himself,

I was in New York with my wife and was around Time Square when I saw this car covered with vegetables. I mean this is New York City and people were still staring at it with mouths open … I just had to approach the owner [Sculptor Matt Targon]. We got to talking and I mentioned I owned Westport Flea Market in Kansas City and how we served burgers and beers and his eyes just lit up and he said how he wanted to design a burger truck and I said right there I would buy it … We got to talking and he mentioned a price. It was too high. I said I couldn’t do it at that price … he named another price and went over the details of how much each part would cost and labor and it was all fair. But I still couldn’t do it … I was in New York for an entire week and so had some cash and offered him $800 right there. On the spot as a down payment. He couldn’t believe it — that some stranger would hand him cash. But it was obvious he was talented and I kept saying, “I trust you man.” We shook on the deal right there. An hour later he called me to say that he didn’t know there were still people like me willing to do deals with a stranger on a handshake. And he said, “I’m going to make you the best hamburger vehicle ever. You’re going to love it,” and he delivered.

Zwiillenberg is still pondering all the uses for the Burger Mobile but it’s pretty effective as advertising. Within a five-minute period yesterday during rush hour, three separate groups of people risked oncoming traffic to have their pictures taken with it.

The Flea is also offering burgers and beers at 1981 prices all day today. That’s burgers with fries for as low as $2.50 and beers anywhere from 99 cents to $2.49.