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▲ 76 r/retailporn

Coffee mugs commemorating the opening of the 3000th and 5000th Walgreens stores, 2005

These were reportedly given to Walgreens employees circa 2005.

u/KrispyKayak — 4 days ago
▲ 17 r/rax+1 crossposts

In late 1987, Rax sponsored a promotion to hoist a giant inflatable gorilla on top of tall buildings in six US cities to promote the local 3D broadcast of the 1954 movie Gorilla At Large. Rax sold 3D glasses at its stores in these markets, with the proceeds going to local organizations.

In 1987, Rax partnered with local TV stations to create one of its most memorable marketing campaigns. In an effort to raise money for local organizations, Rax would hoist a giant inflatable gorilla to the top of a tall local building for several days to promote the local 3D broadcast of the 1954 film Gorilla At Large. In conjunction with this broadcast, Rax would sell 3D glasses at its stores at 2 for $1, with the proceeds (at least 60 cents per sale) going to the designated organization.

Online, this event is widely documented as having happened in Columbus, Ohio. However, this promotion actually occurred across at least six US cities between October and December 1987. In this post, I will be documenting each of these events.

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Background: Origins of the Inflatable Gorilla

Several news articles mention that this gorilla was originally used for a similar but unrelated stunt at New York City’s Empire State Building in 1983. The inflatable gorilla was there to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the iconic movie King Kong. The intention was for it to remain on the tower for a week; however, high winds deflated the balloon and it was permanently taken down after only two days.

The gorilla, whose name was “Mr. Goliath”, was purportedly owned by a marketing company, the same company that Rax would partner with four years later for its own famous stunt. The gorilla was used in promotions in at least fourteen other cities prior to the Rax promotion. The inflatable was between 70-83 feet tall. It is unclear if there was only one gorilla or if multiple were used throughout the tour.

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The Tour

Stop #1
City: Seattle, Washington
Dates: October 24-30, 1987
Location: The top of the Space Needle
Charity: United Way
Television Partner: KTZZ (Channel 22)
Broadcast Date: October 30, 1987

Seattle appears to be where the promotion was first held. This is likely because the company that handled the installation of the gorilla across the tour was McIntosh Steel Riggers, a Seattle-based company.

In Seattle, the gorilla was affixed to the top of the famous Space Needle. Despite what must have been a sight to behold, there is not a lot of existing documentation online surrounding this event. There was purportedly a video sent to local media documenting the gorilla’s hoisting on the tower, but I have not been able to locate it. 

The gorilla was on the tower for a week. He wore a plain white T-shirt that notably did not feature the Rax logo like it did on other stops along the tour.

Seattle-based reviewers at the time had mixed to negative reviews for the movie and its 3D glasses tie-in. One reviewer noted that the film was “not much of a movie” and that the 3D glasses did not work well.

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Stop #2
City: St. Louis, Missouri
Dates: November 5- 6, 1987
Location: The top of Adam’s Mark Hotel
Charity: St. Louis Zoo
Television Partner: KMOV-TV (Channel 4)
Broadcast Date: November 6, 1987

There is very little documentation available of the gorilla's stop in St. Louis. It was reportedly only on display for two days. Proceeds of glasses sales went to the St. Louis Zoo.

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Stop #3
City: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Dates: Approx. November 11-14, 1987
Location: Pinnacle Apartments, 20 NE 2nd St. 
Charity: Como Zoo
Television Partner: KTMA (Channel 23)
Broadcast Date: November 14, 1987

Like St. Louis, the Minneapolis stop was not well documented. The gorilla was on top of an apartment tower for about three days, and proceeds went to the Como Zoo in St. Paul.

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Stop #4
City: Cincinnati, Ohio
Dates: November 18-21, 1987
Location: The top of the Carew Tower
Charity: Ruth Lyons Children’s Christmas Fund
Television Partner: WLWT (Channel 5)
Broadcast Date: November 21, 1987

In Cincinnati, Mr. Goliath wore a white T-shirt featuring the Rax logo while he hung out on top of the Carew Tower. The inflatable reportedly took 72 hours to complete and was on the building for approximately 3 days before being moved to Columbus.

The blog post gives more detail about the promotion in Cincinnati.

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Stop #5
City: Columbus, Ohio
Dates: Beginning Monday, November 23, 1987 (end date is unknown)
Location: The top of the LeVeque Tower
Charity: Ruth Lyons Children’s Christmas Fund
Television Partner: WMCH-TV (Channel 4)
Broadcast Date: November 28, 1987

By far the most documented instance of the Rax gorilla was in Columbus, Ohio, the home of the Rax fast food chain at that time. The gorilla was originally planned to be inflated on the morning of Monday, November 23, but high winds forced the crew to postpone the stunt until the next morning. The gorilla was planned to be atop the building for a week; however, strong winds deflated the gorilla and the promotion ended earlier than planned.

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Stop #6
City: Kansas City, Missouri
Dates: Beginning December 21, 1987 (likely ended in late December or early January)
Location: On top of 12 Wyandotte Plaza
Charity: Easter Seals
Television Partner: KSHB-TV (Channel 41)
Broadcast Date: December 31, 1987

The Kansas City leg of the tour was minimally documented; I could only find a single mention of it in old newspaper archives. The gorilla was perched on top of 12 Wyandotte Plaza in downtown Kansas City, to promote the New Year’s Eve airing of the movie Gorilla At Large. This appears to be the final instance of the Rax Gorilla on top of a building.

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The inflatable gorilla stunt was a memorable marketing gimmick that is still fondly remembered to this day, nearly 40 years later. Even though Rax has largely faded from relevance and the movie Gorilla At Large has largely been forgotten, the whimsical nature of a giant gorilla perched on top of a building has left a mark in the minds of many who encountered it. With this post, I hope I was able to shed some more light on the reach that this promotion had outside of the Columbus area.

u/KrispyKayak — 5 days ago
▲ 6 r/NotFoolingAnybody

Charley's Cheesesteaks in a former Pizza Hut - Dunedin, Florida

Street View - business has since closed.

Reposted because I accidentally put the wrong business name in the title.

u/KrispyKayak — 10 days ago
▲ 226 r/kfc+1 crossposts

From extra crispy chicken to extra crispy humans: A former KFC is now a mortuary in Thomasville, Georgia

u/KrispyKayak — 7 days ago
▲ 6 r/rax

The Rax locations of West Virginia

Last updated 2026-08-09

Rax, also known as Rax Roast Beef or Rax Restaurants, had locations in West Virginia as early as the late 1970s, and was historically one of Rax's largest markets. The last location in the state closed in 2016. Below is a list of the West Virginia locations that are known to have existed.

You can find a full list of all known former & current Rax locations at this link.

State City Status Address Opening Date Closing Date Notes Acknowledgements
West Virginia Beckley Closed 2004 Harper Rd, Beckley, WV 25801 June 26, 1992 December 1993 Site is now a gas station with a Hardee's; it is uncertain if the Rax was located in this building or in an older building that was razed.
West Virginia Bridgeport Closed 107 Tolley Dr, Bridgeport, WV 26330 1985 or 1986 TBD Also listed as being in Clarksburg. After Rax closed it was Back Bay Seafood. Building has been heavily altered over the years and is now a laundromat/flooring store. Special thanks to Rich Z.
West Virginia Cross Lanes Closed 117 Goff Mountain Rd, Cross Lanes, WV 25313 TBD 1995-1996 Building is now a medical office Special thanks to Mark D.
West Virginia Fairmont Closed 1503 Locust Ave, Fairmont, WV 26554 TBD TBD Was converted to Wendy's; building has since been rebuilt Special thanks to Scott R.
West Virginia Huntington Closed 2600 5th Ave, Huntington, WV 25702 TBD 2003 Was demolished between 2003 and 2007. A bank now occupies the site.
West Virginia Huntington Closed 5604 US-60, Huntington, WV 25705 TBD 1997 Initially became a Tim Horton's; Was converted to bank in the early 2000s. Location is sometimes listed as being in Barboursville Special thanks to Kevin T.
West Virginia Huntington Closed 600 4th Ave, Huntington, WV 25701 TBD 1997 May have been converted to Tim Horton's when Rax closed. Building is now Nawab Fine Indian Cuisine Special thanks to Jeff F. & Alice W.
West Virginia Hurricane Closed 414 WV-34, Hurricane, WV 25526 1981 1992 Also listed as being in Teas Valley; building was heavily altered and is now a Huntington Bank Special thanks to Chris N.
West Virginia Moundsville Closed 225 Lafayette Ave, Moundsville, WV 26041 TBD TBD Closed between 2003-2007. Appears to have initially been replaced with a Tim Horton's, which closed and is now a Gumby's Cigarette & Beer World
West Virginia New Martinsville Closed 436 3rd St, New Martinsville, WV 26155 TBD 2006 Likely opened in the 1980s and closed between 2009-2012. It was located in a former Burger Chef building.
West Virginia Oak Hill Closed 242 Mall Rd, Oak Hill, WV 25901 TBD 1993 The building was razed in early 1994 and replaced with a purpose-built Shoney's
West Virginia Oceana Closed 971 WV-971, Oceana, WV 24870 TBD TBD Building is now part of a gas station/Taco Bell; it is uncertain if the Rax was always part of a gas station or if it was converted later
West Virginia Parkersburg Closed 1606 Blizzard Dr, Parkersburg, WV 26101 1980 February 3, 2016 The store opened in 1980 and closed in 2016. It was the last Rax to operate in West Virginia. As of 2026, the building is being used as a coffee shop.
West Virginia Parkersburg Closed 3555 Murdoch Ave, Parkersburg, WV 26101 TBD TBD Was converted to Tim Horton's Special thanks to Anna S.
West Virginia Ripley Closed 307 W Main St, Ripley, WV 25271 TBD TBD Was converted to Wendy's Special thanks to Zachary P.
West Virginia South Charleston Closed 4007 MacCorkle Ave SW, South Charleston, WV 25309 TBD TBD Was converted to Wendy's
West Virginia St. Albans Closed 223 MacCorkle Ave SW, St Albans, WV 25177 TBD TBD Was converted to Tim Horton's
West Virginia Star City Closed 3521 Monongahela Blvd, Star City, WV 26505 TBD TBD Closed between 2001-2003. The building was demolished in the 2000s and a CVS Pharmacy now occupies the site
West Virginia Summersville Closed 304 Merchant Walk, Summersville, WV 26651 TBD TBD Site is now an Auto Zone
West Virginia Weirton Closed 3620 Main Street, Weirton, WV 26062 TBD 2006 Building is now a Tudor's Biscuit World
West Virginia Weston Closed 100 Market Place Mall, Weston, WV 26452 TBD TBD Closed in early 1990s. Original building was a bank for a while. Some time in late 2010s/early 2020s it became a Taco Bell; it is uncertain if the building was remodeled or replaced. Special thanks to Julia T.
West Virginia Wheeling Closed 884 National Road, Wheeling, WV 26003 TBD 2007 Building has been heavily remodeled and is now a Tim Horton's

If you have any information to contribute to this list, please send us a message or leave a comment below.

reddit.com
u/KrispyKayak — 11 days ago
▲ 3 r/rax

The Rax locations of Wisconsin

Last updated 2026-08-09

Rax, also known as Rax Roast Beef or Rax Restaurants, had locations in Wisconsin between the 1980s and early 1990s. Below is a list of the Wisconsin locations that are known to have existed.

You can find a full list of all known former & current Rax locations at this link.

| State | City | Status | Address | Opening Date | Closing Date | Notes | Acknowledgements | | :-----------: | :--------------: | :----: | :-----------------------------------------------: | :--------------------: | :--------------: | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :---------------------------------------: | | | Wisconsin | Beloit | Closed | TBD | TBD | TBD | I have been unable to find the address | | | Wisconsin | Janesville | Closed | 2339 Milton Ave, Janesville, WI 53545 | July 1986 | TBD | Building is currently home to a sports bar | | | Wisconsin | Madison | Closed | 1221 Ann St, Madison, WI 53713 | March/April 1986 | TBD | Building is now Parkway Family Restaurant; building has been altered but has original street sign frame. | | | Wisconsin | Madison | Closed | 2 E Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703 | 1987 | TBD | Restaurant was located in an office/retail building. | | | Wisconsin | Madison | Closed | 7501 Mineral Point Rd, Madison, WI 53717 | TBD | TBD | Was converted to KFC | |

If you have any information to contribute to this list, please send us a message or leave a comment below.

reddit.com
u/KrispyKayak — 11 days ago
▲ 3 r/rax

The Rax Locations of Washington

Last updated 2026-08-09

Rax, also known as Rax Roast Beef or Rax Restaurants, had locations in Washington state between the 1980s and early 1990s. Below is a list of the Washington locations that are known to have existed.

You can find a full list of all known former & current Rax locations at this link.

| State | City | Status | Address | Opening Date | Closing Date | Notes | Acknowledgements | | :-----------: | :--------------: | :----: | :-----------------------------------------------: | :--------------------: | :--------------: | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :---------------------------------------: | | | Washington | Everett | Closed | 1007 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA 98208 | TBD | TBD | Unique building; was converted to Arby's | Special thanks to Derick H. | | Washington | Lynnwood | Closed | 3805 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036 | TBD | TBD | Building is currently Kona Kitchen Hawaiian Restaurant | | | Washington | Shoreline | Closed | 15010 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133 | TBD | TBD | Building was reused by Taco Bell. In 2018 it was demolished and replaced with a newly built Taco Time restaurant | Special thanks to /u/JaCor_653 | | Washington | Silverdale | Closed | 9985 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale, WA 98383 | December 1984 | | In a hexagonal-shaped building where an Arby's is now. Part of a shopping center of hexagon-shaped buildings. | | | Washington | Spokane | Closed | Division & Francis (?) - See Note | TBD | TBD | A 1987 TV commercial advertises a Rax location at this intersection, but I cannot pin down the exact address. | | | Washington | Spokane | Closed | Division & Nora (?) - See Note | TBD | TBD | A 1987 TV commercial advertises a Rax location at this intersection, but I cannot pin down the exact address. Could possibly be the former Burger King/Yummy Crab Seafood. | | | Washington | Spokane | Closed | Third and Post (?) - See Note | TBD | TBD | A 1987 TV commercial advertises a Rax location at this intersection, but I cannot pin down the exact address. It might be the former Domino's building at 726 I-90BL, Spokane, WA 99201, which was demolished for Avista Metro Substation. | | Washington | Tacoma | Closed | 4112 S Steele St, Tacoma, WA 98409 | TBD | TBD | Was converted to Wendy's | | | Washington | Wenatchee | Closed | 1020 N Mission St, Wenatchee, WA 98801 | TBD | TBD | Was converted to Wendy's; appears to have been demolished and replaced with a US Bank branch | Special thanks to Dale M. |

If you have any information to contribute to this list, please send us a message or leave a comment below.

reddit.com
u/KrispyKayak — 11 days ago
▲ 3 r/rax

The Rax locations of Vermont

Last updated 2026-08-09

Rax, also known as Rax Roast Beef or Rax Restaurants, had at least one location in Vermont in the 1980s. Below is a list of the Vermont locations that are known to have existed.

You can find a full list of all known former & current Rax locations at this link.

| State | City | Status | Address | Opening Date | Closing Date | Notes | Acknowledgements | | :-----------: | :--------------: | :----: | :-----------------------------------------------: | :--------------------: | :--------------: | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :---------------------------------------: | | | Vermont | Bennington | Closed | 237 North St, Bennington, VT 05201 | June 1984 | TBD | Building has been heavily altered and is now a Dunkin Donuts | |

If you have any information to contribute to this list, please send us a message or leave a comment below.

reddit.com
u/KrispyKayak — 11 days ago
▲ 3 r/rax

The Rax locations of Virginia

Last updated 2026-08-09

Rax, also known as Rax Roast Beef or Rax Restaurants, had a presence in Virginia from the 1980s until the 2000s. Below is a list of the Tennessee locations that are known to have existed.

You can find a full list of all known former & current Rax locations at this link.

| State | City | Status | Address | Opening Date | Closing Date | Notes | Acknowledgements | | :-----------: | :--------------: | :----: | :-----------------------------------------------: | :--------------------: | :--------------: | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :---------------------------------------: | | | Virginia | Charlottesville | Closed | 505 Preston Ave, Charlottesville, VA 22903 | September/October 1985 | TBD | Building is currently home to Bodo's Bagels | | | Virginia | Chesapeake | Closed | TBD - See Note | TBD | TBD | Possible location was 1510 Sam's Cir, Chesapeake, VA 23320 (may have been different street name at that time). Site is now a car wash | Special thanks to John K. | | Virginia | Danville | Closed | 1050 Riverside Dr, Danville, VA 24540 | TBD | 2004-2006 | Building has been heavily altered and is now La Nostra Cucina Italian Restaurant | | | Virginia | Harrisonburg | Closed | 1570 E Market St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | TBD | TBD | Building is currently El Charro Mexican Restaurant | | | Virginia | Newport News | Closed | Jefferson Ave - See Note | TBD | TBD | Exact location is unknown. Was possibly a Chinese restauratn at one point | Special thanks to John K. | | Virginia | Richmond Hill | Closed | 10 N Thompson St, Richmond, VA 23221 | TBD | TBD | Address also listed as 25 S. Nansemond St; Building is now a dentist's office | Special thanks to Aaron S. | | Virginia | Winchester | Closed | 1012 Berryville Ave, Winchester, VA 22601 | 1988 | TBD | Was converted to Arby's | | | Virginia | Wise | Closed | 164 Plaza Rd SW, Wise, VA 24293 | October 1984 | TBD | Was converted to Arby's | |

If you have any information to contribute to this list, please send us a message or leave a comment below.

reddit.com
u/KrispyKayak — 11 days ago