I’ve long been a fan of local entrepreneur Mort Bank’s ability to put together themed restaurants. His themed McDonald’s restaurants were innovative, but are now history. While the reconstruction (or destruction, depending on how you look at it) of the McRock ‘n’ Roll store on Main Avenue in Bismarck has been in progress for months, it all became rather official when those trademark Golden Arches were swapped out for a new set.

This was my favorite local McDonald’s because of the themed tables most of all. The tidbits of music history contained beneath the transparent tabletops was an amusing addition to lunch, and the “Worst Albums of All Time” table was by far my favorite. As I recall, it listed Lou Reed’s notorious “Metal Machine Music” album but didn’t say anything other than the title. There really isn’t any more to be said.

There have been a couple of previous remodels of the McRock ‘n’ Roll store, each one stripping a little more character from the original in the name of traffic flow or whatever. Even the ordering counter, which originally sported the grille and bumper of a classic automobile, has long been redone. In that regard I suppose the place died a slow death. Regardless of the atmosphere the newly remodeled McDonald’s may have, it will never match the character of the original.