There were 2 White Castle Restaurant Miami Locations in 1958

Whenever I mention that White Castle existed in Miami, Florida, most folks think I’m confused with Royal Castle, but I’m not. In the book, By The Sackful, you will find mentions of the Miami restaurant locations.

A White Castle-shaped spaceship landing pad in Miami! Billy Ingram retired to Miami in 1958 and built three Castles there.

The design of this location echoed the space-age angles and the futuristic and glittering glass walls of the big hamburger chains that had sprung up to compete with White Castle in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The company closed the Florida operations in 1967 due to inefficient supply distribution.

By The Sackful book, Page 104

This was my starting point for finding information on the mythical existence of White Castle restaurants in Miami.

White Castle in Miami Research

I came across this ad posted in the Miami Archives blog:

Ad from 2-28-63
Ad from 2-28-63

As luck would have it, two restaurant addresses are listed:

North Miami Beach: 1199 N. Miami Beach Blvd. (N.E. 163rd St.)

Miami: 2698 West Flagler Street

After scouring the Miami News archives, I found this article dated November 12, 1958, about White Castle’s expansion into Miami. The story also reveals the address of the White Castle Office/Warehouse (3250 NW 38th Street).

Miami News Article 11-12-1958 about White Castle in Miami
Miami News 11-12-1958

Even though the By The Sackful book mentions the existence of 3 locations, I can only verify the two above.

White Castle Miami Pictures

I found photos taken in 1960 of the two White Castles in Miami. Hands down, these were the best things I found after hours of research.

White Castle Miami location under construction
Miami location under construction
White Castle in Miami, Florida
White Castle in Miami, Florida
Inside the White Castle in Miami, Florida
Inside the White Castle in Miami, Florida
Miami Employees
Miami Employees
Co-founder Billy Ingram at work in the Miami location
Co-founder Billy Ingram at work in the Miami location
Employees in the North Miami Beach location
Employees in the North Miami Beach location

A more in-depth history of White Castle is in my book All About the Burger.

*All images courtesy of the Ohio Historical Society.

8 thoughts on “There were 2 White Castle Restaurant Miami Locations in 1958”

  1. Yes I ate at the White Castle at Flagler in the 60’s
    But does anyone remember a White Castle in the area of NW 60’s St Miami Fl?
    I am almost sure that I ate there and saw it many times when I drove by

    Reply
    • Hello Robert Brice. Just saw your post here, today 09/19/23, that you made on 05/27/21. YES!! There was a White Castle on the northwest corner of NE 61st Street and Biscayne Boulevard, right where the current Sudsies Dry Cleaners is!! My aunt use to own a small bungalow house right in front of where the bus stop is across the street right off the southwest corner of NE 61st Street. My mom, sister and I spent the summers of 1970 and 1971 there, and I use to go to that White Castle all the time with a friends of mine that lived next on both sides of my aunt’s house, Eddie and Donald. We had great birch beer sodas there! I was only 9 and 10 back then. Real good times! My aunt along with the owners of the other two houses, sold those three homes, now the adjacent properties is a parking lot for part of the Cushman school.

      Reply
  2. This is neat, and sad. Wish they were still in Miami, well, Florida. My mom was very moved to see these pics, she was around back then. Thank you for this story, nice to see things back then.

    Reply

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