Assets for St. Petersburg’s Biff-Burger to be sold at auction

ST. PETERSBURG — The future of St. Petersburg’s iconic Biff-Burger on 49th Street North appears up in the air pending an auction of the restaurant’s assets next week.

All of the assets from the long-running restaurant and neighboring spot Buffy’s BBQ are set to be auctioned off next Tuesday, according to a listing from Bay Area Auction Services.

What this means for the actual Biff-Burger brand remains unclear. The restaurant is listed as temporarily closed on its Facebook page, which also features posts hinting that the nostalgic burger joint will “be back” sometime in the future. Calls and emails to the restaurant’s owner were not immediately returned.

Biff-Burger, once a national chain that stretched across the Southeast and included 168 locations, served as a precursor to the modern hamburger fast-food joint. Opened since 1960, the restaurant at 3939 49th St. N is the last remaining restaurant in the country to carry the Biff-Burger name.

Recognizable from its flaming bright yellow roadside sign, the nostalgic drive-up spot (Biff stands for “Best in Fast Food”) became a popular stomping ground for motorcyclists in the area and featured walk-up counters and classic hamburger stand fare, including milkshakes, hot dogs and the restaurant’s signature char-broiled burgers slathered in special sauce.

The restaurant changed hands several times over the years, including earlier this year, when Justin Basil, a manager for a Tampa-based investment group, purchased the property for $1.4 million.

According to the auction listing, “prior to demolition and property redevelopment,” the items and memorabilia to be auctioned off include “the entire asset inventory,” of the landmark burger spot, including a ‘57 Chevy Bel Air, vintage celebrity photos and artwork and all bar and kitchen equipment.

The auction is set for 10 a.m. Dec. 7 at the restaurant.