by Austin Burklund

I learned of sad news for my hometown of Paxton, Illinois today. That sad information was that the restaurant Just Hamburgers a Paxton institution will shut their doors for the final time on April 30th after 43 years of service to Paxton and the surrounding communities. Before I get into the food and nostalgia of this restaurant I want to thank Cary and Connie for what they have done for the town of Paxton. It must have taken years of commitment and sacrifice to make Just Hamburgers to what it is today.

Let’s start with the food if you never got the chance to walk in that bell ringing door, the menu is simple; a daily special, fries, and a burger. The fry style was that of McDonalds perfectly crisp in the fryer. The burger was a smash patty that had the perfect salty-seasoning. I’m sure there are better burgers in the world, but in my humble “Paxton-centric” opinion you can’t beat the value you get from the hand pressed double cheeseburger at a value of $2.00. (Pre-Pandemic price of course.) The milkshakes will crave any sweet tooth and make you forget what year you are in, and transport you to the feel of a 1950’s diner that you see in Grease. Just Hamburgers knew exactly what it was, and didn’t deviate from that vision. Just Hamburgers knew how to keep it simple, an art form that is tougher to execute than you think.

The atmosphere in Just Hamburgers wont ever be forgotten to this guy who was born in Ford County. For those who never were lucky enough to go in, there were two lines, one to order and one to grab your food from a window overlooking the kitchen. They knew how to take care of you from the time you could eat regular food to your final trip in that place. I recall visiting many times when I couldn’t reach my head to the window where my parents grabbed my food, everytime I would see an arm reach down to my level and I would receive a single warm french fry. That was better than any happy meal I could ever get. As I grew up, I would go with friends. There was never a question of where you wanted lunch from. The quote was always “What do you want from Just”. It was always a rite of passage to pick up food for your family from Just right after getting your driver’s license. I know countless former PBL students that worked at Just and gave them their first job and taught them the value of work ethic and the value of a dollar. It was the first place people who went away to college or moved away went when they came back to Paxton.

Back to those lines I was referring to, those lines had the best conversations between Paxton residents. You learned the score of the big high school game, where you solved all the world’s problems, where you heard the latest gossip, and what the yields were on that harvests corn crop. The town of Paxton didn’t have a water cooler, but they did have Just Hamburgers.

I have been all over the state and occasionally someone will say, “wait youre from Paxton, isnt that where that hamburger place is?” and I always say “Oh yeah, it is, it’s called Just Hamburgers”. There is a sense of pride knowing that outsiders love a thing in your town. We could prove it, there was always an out of town FFA bus there, or you spy a window sticker of someone from Champaign or beyond. We love showing it off to people who visit our town for the first time, and why wouldnt we?

I can’t think of Just without thinking of family and friends. I think of taking Just to the field with my mom and eating it with my brother, grandfather, and dad off the tailgate of truck parked in the ditch with a tractor or combine in the skyline. I think of watching a weekend Cubs game with my friend Brock and eating some fries. I think of drinking that chocolate shake with my sister after we just got done washing cattle on a hot Summer day. I think of sharing my hometown experience with my fiance in the form of Just Hamburgers.

It’s quite amazing how we can combine food and memories isn’t it? The town of Paxton isnt only losing some amazing food at amazing value, its going to lose a piece of community in this drive-thru world, a place that put Paxton on the map, and a reunion spot. I hope the town finds the new spot to come together as one, like there was at Just.