Mike Hardin – Owner of OB’s Hodad’s – Has Passed – RIP

One of the most successful businessmen and restauranteurs in OB’s history, has passed away. Mike Hardin, owner of the most famous restaurant in the seaside village, Hodad’s Burgers, on Newport Avenue died in Fresno.

His body was found in a Fresno hotel  Madera County Holiday Inn on Thursday, Feb. 5th, after Mike had traveled to Northern California to see his daughter.  Cause of death is unknown at this time.  He was 55 years old.

Hardin’s Hodad’s will be closed today, Friday, to allow his workers and friends some time to take this tragic death in. Ironically, Hodad’s will also be closed on Saturday for a memorial and funeral for one of Mike’s employees,  Kyle Witkowski, who died recently in a car accident.

I interviewed Mike in 2009 about whether success had “spoiled” him.  Here is an excerpt:

After their first hamburger place in El Cajon, [Mike’s parents] Bryon and Virginia in 1973 bought a little burger stand in OB, right on the beach. It was called “Hodad’s”.  …

Hodads started in the same building where another restaurant ‘Dempseys at the Beach’ came to be, years later.  … That’s where I first saw Mike back then in the early seventies. …

“Mike,” I said, “you know what ‘hodads’ used to mean?” Growing up in the budding surfer world of Southern California in the sixties, I knew the term was a near slur for those who identified with the beach culture, meaning a fake surfer basically.

“Sure,” he said, “back then, they were fighting words.” We both laughed at the irony.

Mike described how he would flip burgers at the beach site right next to the sand and the little grassy park at the foot of Saratoga, “We used to sell burgers for 25 cents.  We had 10 rolled tacos for a buck.”  They lived near by in apartments on Saratoga, not far from Abbott.  …  Finally, [when the landlord]  doubled their rent.  That’s when, Mike recounted, they moved to Voltaire.  …

Curious, I asked him whether his other siblings worked at his parents’ burger places. No, he said, he was the baby, and by time his parents got into the restaurant business, his 2 brothers and 2 sisters had moved on.

His family has known tragedy. Both brothers died when they were 49. Phil from a massive heart attack, and Steve – who was permanently disabled – took his own life a couple years later.

Mike’s sisters are still living; Dody was 18 when Mike was born so “she was like an aunt to me,” he said.  Patricia, the other sister, lives in San Marcos. Her son Brook, Mike said, his nephew, is going into business with him in opening up the second Hodads in Carlsbad later this year. …

The Voltaire Restaurant: Where the Hodad Burger Became One

In 1979 Bryon and Virginia moved the business to a site on Voltaire – that’s where Hodads became a real restaurant. “That’s where we made the burger,” Mike said, talking about his famous concoction, that now has made it within the top national five.

The place on Voltaire had a “J” shaped counter with stools and a row of booths, in the same old wooden building where Jim Bell has his establishment.

“Dad was good about making ends meet, about being efficient.” Mike said. He is a little sad – to think that his parents, Bryon and Virginia,  never really “made it” like he has.

Back then, back on Voltaire – Mike was starting to learn to surf and was going to Point Loma High School, but he only worked at the restaurant part-time. When he would come in and cook, he would make these giants for his buddies.

I remember them, back in the days I ate burgers. You’d go into Hodads for lunch and come out satisfied with the meal, a tad over-priced, but not feeling over-greased, as you might coming out of Boll-Weevil, and definitely still not feeling hungry, as you might coming out of MacDonalds.

Byron Harlin died in 1984. Mike then began working full-time at the restaurant, and he and his mom continued to run the place. They had been joined by Terry Rhodes – the later partner – who started in ’82.

For the remainder of my interview, see this.

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