After 20 years of rocking out, the Solid Gold McDonald’s is at the end of an era.
On Friday, April 1, the process of renovating the themed restaurant will begin, and all of the rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The Greenfield McDonald’s, 5040 S. 76th St., will get a completely new look that includes modern lighting fixtures, flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. There will also be a new, reconfigured drive-through.
Bill McEssy owns the Solid Gold McDonald’s. McEssy (really? McEssy owns a McDonald’s? That’s McFunny!) purchased the restaurant from Jim Patterson in 1991. Patterson was a memorabilia collector who brought his rare collectibles into the restaurant and doubled sales within a month.
But McEssy feels its time for a change.
Some of the memorabilia items that will be donated include Buddy Holly’s shirt and rare family photos, Paul McCartney’s signed Rickenbacker guitar, a signed Richie Valens’ record and Marilyn Monroe’s autograph.
The 30-year-old McDonald’s will reopen in July 2011.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
