The Return of Conway’s Red Top
Donation protected
My name is Mike Conway, I am the first son born to Mr. and Mrs. N. F. Conway, third oldest child of five boys and five girls.
My parents moved to Colorado Springs in 1944, to go to work for my father’s cousin in a restaurant business.
The name of this eatery was Red Top, it featured “giant hamburgers” and other popular fine foods. This restaurant spanned almost seven decades ( 68 ) years to be exact. My parents became the face of Red Top and in 1962 they had the opportunity to purchase the business from T. A. Lewis, who had two years earlier bought the restaurant as an investment.
All ten of us children worked in the restaurant at one point or another. I went to work with my dad when I was seven years old. When our folks took over the business, my father reluctantly agreed to put his last name in the title, because he was a humble man ,but at the urging of his children he gave in ,and thus began the reign of Conway’s Red Top.
Over the next fifty years there was growth. At one point there were five locations,four in Colorado Springs and one in Pueblo, CO.
When our father passed away in 1984, the Gazette Telegraph ran a front page story with a photo of dad and referred to him as, “The Burger Barron.”He was a hard working, well respected business man and those who knew him, loved him.
Over the years some of my brother and sisters left the business one at a time,until there were only three remaining. I had left eight years before Red Top finally closed.
Due to a combination of circumstances,including growing competition and ,some tax issues Conway’s Red Top closed its doors for good in 2012.
A few months earlier, on the Friday just before the Tuesday national election, John Elway, John Lynch,and John Mc Cain stopped into our Circle Dr. location to partake of a giant hamburger, while stumping for Senator McCain’s bid for President of the United States.
When I meet people and they realize my association with Conway’s Red Top”,almost” to a person, they say how much they miss Red Top ,and how they wish it would come back. Often they relate a nostalgic story of their Red Top memories and how great it would be to have further opportunities to continue making memories with family and friends.
I would be honored to hear all the memories that folks are willing to share about their experience's at Red Top. I want to bring Conway’s Red Top back,initially in the form of a “food truck .and with its success a brick and mortar restaurant.
This is where all the fine folks that would like me to succeed in this endeavor, come in. I don’t have the funds to make this dream come to life,so I’m asking all those interested, to gift at least the amount it would take to feed their family at Red Top, or what ever they feel they can. This will enable me to rebirth the dream that my parents worked most of their lives to make come true.
Even if you don't see the value or are not interested in seeing Red Top resurrected I would love to hear your story, “your memory”,and I believe everyone else would, also.
I need to purchase the food truck with the proper equipment that will enable my wife and I to recreate the quality products that people had come to know, expect and enjoy. In addition, I will need to meet all the licencing and health department requirements. I also need to lease a “home kitchen” to prepare the items that are too difficult to do so in a small food truck.
If all goes well,and I believe it will,we can have this project up and running as early as the beginning of summer of 2019.
I thank you in advance for your story and your gift. I will keep you all appraised of our progress and how we plan to show our gratitude to everyone who sees the value in this worthwhile endeavor.
We look forward to seeing you all down the road,and remember dreams do come true to those who believe.
Thankfully yours Mike and Kathy Conway
My parents moved to Colorado Springs in 1944, to go to work for my father’s cousin in a restaurant business.
The name of this eatery was Red Top, it featured “giant hamburgers” and other popular fine foods. This restaurant spanned almost seven decades ( 68 ) years to be exact. My parents became the face of Red Top and in 1962 they had the opportunity to purchase the business from T. A. Lewis, who had two years earlier bought the restaurant as an investment.
All ten of us children worked in the restaurant at one point or another. I went to work with my dad when I was seven years old. When our folks took over the business, my father reluctantly agreed to put his last name in the title, because he was a humble man ,but at the urging of his children he gave in ,and thus began the reign of Conway’s Red Top.
Over the next fifty years there was growth. At one point there were five locations,four in Colorado Springs and one in Pueblo, CO.
When our father passed away in 1984, the Gazette Telegraph ran a front page story with a photo of dad and referred to him as, “The Burger Barron.”He was a hard working, well respected business man and those who knew him, loved him.
Over the years some of my brother and sisters left the business one at a time,until there were only three remaining. I had left eight years before Red Top finally closed.
Due to a combination of circumstances,including growing competition and ,some tax issues Conway’s Red Top closed its doors for good in 2012.
A few months earlier, on the Friday just before the Tuesday national election, John Elway, John Lynch,and John Mc Cain stopped into our Circle Dr. location to partake of a giant hamburger, while stumping for Senator McCain’s bid for President of the United States.
When I meet people and they realize my association with Conway’s Red Top”,almost” to a person, they say how much they miss Red Top ,and how they wish it would come back. Often they relate a nostalgic story of their Red Top memories and how great it would be to have further opportunities to continue making memories with family and friends.
I would be honored to hear all the memories that folks are willing to share about their experience's at Red Top. I want to bring Conway’s Red Top back,initially in the form of a “food truck .and with its success a brick and mortar restaurant.
This is where all the fine folks that would like me to succeed in this endeavor, come in. I don’t have the funds to make this dream come to life,so I’m asking all those interested, to gift at least the amount it would take to feed their family at Red Top, or what ever they feel they can. This will enable me to rebirth the dream that my parents worked most of their lives to make come true.
Even if you don't see the value or are not interested in seeing Red Top resurrected I would love to hear your story, “your memory”,and I believe everyone else would, also.
I need to purchase the food truck with the proper equipment that will enable my wife and I to recreate the quality products that people had come to know, expect and enjoy. In addition, I will need to meet all the licencing and health department requirements. I also need to lease a “home kitchen” to prepare the items that are too difficult to do so in a small food truck.
If all goes well,and I believe it will,we can have this project up and running as early as the beginning of summer of 2019.
I thank you in advance for your story and your gift. I will keep you all appraised of our progress and how we plan to show our gratitude to everyone who sees the value in this worthwhile endeavor.
We look forward to seeing you all down the road,and remember dreams do come true to those who believe.
Thankfully yours Mike and Kathy Conway
Organizer
Michael D Conway
Organizer
Colorado Springs, CO