MAGNIFICENT 2 STORY MCDONALD’S - Independence, Ohio

All right, we are continuing to check out places in my hometown, Independence, Ohio. This is a place that is very near and dear to me because I spent five years working here when I was a teen through early 20s. Uh when I quit it was 2011, so it's been quite a long time. I worked here uh towards the end I was only working here seasonally like I went off to college um in Akran and then on the summer breaks when I came back to live with my parents for a little bit I would be working here so I could just tell them hey I'm back for break and I came back and picked up shifts so anyways um lots of history with this place. People stop here and they take pictures. They see it as a tourist attraction. They ask, "Was this a bank originally?" No, it wasn't. This was built as McDonald's in 1988. It's always looked this way. The interior has gone through some changes. I will post photos of what it used to look like cuz it's been updated. unfortunately, but it's still an absolutely fantastic place and I just can't wait to show it to you. I might even have some stories to tell. So, we are going to go walk around and see what we find. So, first of all, the sign on the street that's already very retro. I mean, look at this logo and look how nice it looks with the bushes and the brick. And as I said in my video about the Wendy's in Independence, there is a law that says in Independence, if you have a corporate place like a McDonald's or a Wendy's or even a hotel, you have to have this brick style that they want because they want their city to look a certain way. So that's why this looks the way that it does. And I want to just admire. Look at these designs. Look at Look at how fantastic this looks. Now, this uh second level, what you would call a I guess a p a balcony that has never been uh for seating or anything. That's just there for show. Always wanted to go on that, but uh they got like a lantern on there. But anyways, um you can go upstairs here, but we are going to walk around the exterior first to admire and then we will go in. I Oh my gosh. I remember when they had me giving out free samples somewhere around 2010, maybe 2011, they actually came out with the Mick Cafe. Um, for the very very first time, which Mick Cafe is huge these days, but I was part of its launch. We had to learn all about the different um ways to make lattes and stuff. So, uh that was a learning experience. Everybody was very confused when that came out. I remember many a time coming out here to give out samples. I didn't really like doing that. They liked me in the drive-thru or at the counter because they said I had it was a nice friendly smiling face, but I always wanted to work grill and they didn't really want me working grill cuz they, you know, they just figured I was more of a front counter person. But I was able to get on the breakfast grill shift, which I really enjoyed. I did dining room cleanup, too. I did really a little bit of everything. Many many a good time here. It was a good job. They never really paid too well obviously, but you know, it was good for what it was. So, this is the outside of the building. Um, let's go in. And even at the entrance, you see the columns and all the fanciness. Oh, this has really changed. They have really changed this interior. Oh, wow. Oh, this is not the same. This is not the same. This front counter used to be a big wide long counter. It's so tiny. Yeah. Uh they this is where the drive-thru and the cafe is, but they used to be open and you used to go in through here. There was a space to go in here. And um Oh my gosh, this has really changed. Oh my gosh, you guys. [Music] Um this is not at all the same. This is not even close. This isn't even close. Oh, let's see if the restroom has not the same either. I did many of restroom cleaning. Actually, you know what? This door hasn't changed. This door, this door is completely untouched. Look at this. This is Okay, this is what I'm talking about right here. That's the style they had. They never painted this. They didn't do anything to the store. [Music] Like I said, there will be photos in here. Let's see. They've tried to do like a wood grain. Um, let's go upstairs. I guess I'm just glad that you can still go upstairs. The banisters here is actually This is original. I believe they've painted it. Um. Oh my. Oh, they got to do the trash. Okay. So, what happened was when I was working there, they had it old style um classic old vintage McDonald's. I mean, it was unique. It wasn't any old McDonald's, but it was classic and vintage. 2011, maybe 2010. I want to say 11 though, they did a big uh redo of the restaurant. So, but pre201 it was at its best. 2011, they botched it up, but it wasn't as bad. This modern interior, I don't know when they did it. It was probably in the past five years. This is where they really butchered it. I will show the pre201. Behind this wall is a break room where I used to sit. There's a custodian closet and nobody ever used the break room behind this wall, so I liked it for that reason. And there was like a old ancient TV in there where we watched like training classes. This is the room. This is it, guys. I have been in this many a time. I have been in this custodian closet. Look at this. Not going to be able to get in there. There's a code. But oh my gosh, does this bring back memories. These doors are old. Look at the molding on there. That's old. This they did not update. Guys, I have rung out many a mop here. I really don't like what they did here. It really makes zero absolutely no sense. I mean, you have a fake like concrete wall contrasted with colonial style windows. I mean, does this make any sense? So, like I said, this is old. This this molding, they didn't change that. I don't think the windows were changed. They changed all the seating, the wallpaper, everything like that. There was an absolutely fantastic chandelier up here back in the day, which has now been changed with these weird paper lanterns. Um, and this just is not what it was. But it is cool. It's still cool. You have to admit they really should have done that different style. It It makes no sense. It makes absolutely no sense the way they updated it. But this is the fake porch I was talking about. Like I said, you've never been able to sit up here. It's always been for show. I've always wanted to, but never did. The floor is different. They have really botched this place. Coming downstairs, what I noticed is that the drink station is now out, which back then it wasn't. It was behind the counter. You couldn't um you had to ask for a refill. You couldn't just get it. Um so that's different. And then [Music] there was no tables like this here. No like high tables here. It was all just regular um tables. Um they got yeah all different seating. Um the uh happy meal thing was not No. Whoa. Those are cool. Uh the happy meal display wasn't here. It was actually over here. Um I think the uh high chairs and stuff were here were always here. But where I'm pointing uh was like the table where you could get salt, pepper, uh napkins. Um and then obviously there these weren't here, the ordering screens. Um, it used to be a lot cooler than it is, but still, you have to appreciate the fact that this McDonald's is still here as a twotory McDonald's. They didn't block the two the second uh floor like they did in Warren. Um you still have to appreciate it, but they really could um they really could make some changes and the decor that they chose really doesn't work with this place. But still overall, like I said, you have to appreciate it. Like look at the staircase. Oh, employment opportunities starting at 14 an hour. I think I was making like 735. This was a long time ago though. So They've even changed the the trash area, but actually these trays might be original. I think they are. I remember washing many a tray in the dishwasher. There definitely was tables here, but I think and in this particular spot there was two instead of just one. But all right guys, that is going to complete my look at the Independence McDonald's. Let me know what you think about the changes. Do you like the modernization? Which phase do you like the most? Uh, check out Manny Crackow. He's a pretty cool guy. He has a pretty awesome channel. Um, let me know what you think of the Independence McDonald's. Um, like I said, this is a tourist like attraction almost. There's people from out of town come here. They uh they come up and they're like, "Can we take a picture at the McDonald's? This is like the most fancy McDonald's I've ever seen. Was this always a McDonald's?" Yes, it is always a McDonald's. All right, guys. I hope you guys liked this little nostalgic look, and I will see you on the next video.