Follow the Barn! Burger Ranch, Owosso: 1960s-1980s

If you happen to be driving through Owosso and you come to the corner of W. Main Street and S. Cedar, you may notice a structure that resembles a barn sitting on the southeast corner.

That was once a little eatery called Burger Ranch.

Sitting at 737 W Main Street, Owosso, the only thing left that shows what it used to be is the shape of the roof...classic old barn style. Otherwise, the uninformed might’ve never known.

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Forget the Big Mac and Whopper...Burger Ranch had the “Big Steer” burger, and tasty chicken as well.....not to mention regular hamburgers for eighteen cents!

Burger Ranch was around beginning in the 1960s and was a favorite hangout...in fact, at times the parking got so full, there was no room for anyone else to park. According to past customers, they recall the big (fiberglass?) cow that greeted everyone outside. Another unique perk was the plastic bottles that contained a mix of both mustard and ketchup, decades before Heinz came up with their concept of mixing condiments in the same bottle.

There were other Burger Ranches in Michigan, in Adrian, Hillsdale, and Holt; the actual closing year is believed to be sometime in the 1980s. Lately the site has been used by the Owosso Auto Mall.

Owosso's former Burger Ranch remains a cherished remembrance of faded youth and carefree days.