4-B's Cafe & Cafeteria
A MONTANA RESTAURANT
CHAIN OPERATED BY THE HAINLINE FAMILY 1947-2007
NOW OWNED BY STAR BUFFET, INC., SCOTTSDALE, AZ
Both Helena locations closed.
46°35'47.65"N
112° 1'59.96"W
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The 4-B's
was at this 900 N. Main location for over 30 years. It was
adjacent to the Main Motel. There was also a 4-B's Cafeteria
in the Capital Hill Mall from 1965 to sometime after 1980.
The 4-B's
chain of restaurants was established in 1947 by Bill Hainline,
who named the family style eatery after his family: himself,
his wife Barbara, his son Bill Jr. and daughter Barbara.
The family sold out to Scottsdale-based Star Buffet, Inc.
in 2007. As of this writing (Feb. 2011) there are seven
4-B's operating in Montana. Both Helena locations are
long gone. This
2010 story from The Missoulian gives details of the Star
Buffet acquisition.
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COURTESY
OF KATHRYN FEHLIG
4-B's Cafe,
1951.
1950s
4-B's Menu
COURTESY
OF DAVID
MARRIOT • CLICK ON MENU FOR A LARGER VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
| Two hot
cakes with a side of homemade sausage for 70¢. Fresh Montana
trout with a rasher of bacon for $1.45. A Double cut choice
tenderloin steak with all the trimmings for $3.35 -- and you
paid for it with money made of real silver. Many thanks to Seattle's
David Marriot for the beautiful scans of his vintage 4-B's menu. |
4-B's
Famous Tomato Soup Recipe
FOUND
ONLINE - NOT TESTED
ALLEGEDLY
FROM BILL HAINLINE HIMSELF
|
1
(29 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed chicken broth, undiluted
2 Tablespoons margarine or butter
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups of heavy cream or half-and-half.
Directions:
1. In a large stock pot mix tomatoes, chicken broth, margarine,
onion, and baking soda. Simmer for 1 hour.
2. In a separate pot, heat cream over a low heat until hot,
watching carefully so that the cream does not scorch! Once
heated through add to tomato soup and serve.
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Interior
Gutted by Fire, 1958
4-B's
Matchbook
4-B's Matchbook,
with their puzzling "Guaranteed Steaks" claim.
COURTESY
OF JEFF SHERLOCK
|
The
last days of the old 4-B's building, which had mutated into
this Germanic conglomeration.
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The
4-B's Cafeteria in Capital Hill Mall, ca. 1980
46°35'26.05"N
112° 0'49.85"W
PHOTO
BY KENNON BAIRD
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