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History
Our rich story dates back to 1938 when William Singer opened the first Royal Castle at 7952 NE Second Ave. Dishing out 15-cent hamburgers, nickel birch beers, and a pretty good breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, the restaurant quickly won the hearts of South Floridians. It became very popular and grew into 19 branches in less than two decades.
1938 – 1960
The business achieved remarkable growth in the 1950s and 1960s, expanding to about 100 locations by 1958. The company peaked at over 200 Royal castles in the late 1960s, with restaurant locations across Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio.
The restaurant had a stronghold on the Miami market throughout this period, thanks to its low-priced popular breakfasts, freshly squeezed orange juice, birch beers, and heavily whipped cream coffee. Its iconic flat-top, glass-fronted building design was another catch for its customers, as the unique look makes Royal Castles instantly recognizable.
1960 – 1969
The company was family-owned and managed until 1965 when the company went public. By 1969, its sales had grown to $221 million. But while revenues were growing, profits were falling. Shortly after going public, Williams sold his shares in the company. His son, Lawrence, managed the business until February 1969, when the company was sold to Performance Systems Inc., owners of Minnie Pearl’s Chicken.
1969 – 1975
The following year, Performance Systems Inc. was in financial trouble. They had two main issues – a thirty-nine million loss for 1969 and a scandal with the Securities and Trade Commission over how they reported franchise fees. The company made several efforts to return the restaurant to the black, but none worked.
Attempts to branch out by franchising the name and opening higher-priced stores were also unsuccessful. The company attempted to rebrand and change the menu in the early 1970s, but this strategy failed to get them back in the market. In 1975, stockholders started liquidating the company’s assets by selling them at rock-bottom prices to employees.
A Family Story
New Beginnings
1975 – 2019
James N. Brimberry, the first black employee at the restaurant and a district manager at the time of liquidation, snapped up seven Royal Castle stores. He managed the stores for several years and later sold off six of them. He could not bring himself to sell the last Royal Castle, so he trained his son, James N. Brimberry II, to take over the business. Unfortunately, James N. Brimberry II died in Georgia in 2002.
James N. Brimberry, was the first black employee at Royal Castle. He joined the restaurant shortly before the Civil Rights Act of 1964. During this period, blacks were forbidden from eating inside the restaurant. They could only order takeout through a walk-up window.
Two weeks into his training as an assistant manager at Royal Castle, a white patron saw him at the grill and said he did not want a black man to cook his food. The patron used the word n–; it was the first time a white person would call him that. He was so hurt that he started crying.
His manager took him out of the spot, sat him down with a cup of coffee, and patted his shoulder. While holding the cup of coffee, he swore to himself that he would own the place someday. He continued working at Royal Castle for years, rising through the ranks to become a district manager.
When Royal Castle stockholders started liquidating the company’s assets in 1975, James N. Brimberry bought seven stores. Later, he sold six and kept the last one – Royal Castle Miami. He managed it for several years and made plans to pass it down to its son, James N. Brimberry II, who has been learning from him for years. But the son died in 2002.
2019 – 2023
Though his heart was out of Royal Castle, James N. Brimberry continued to run the store. But things changed when he called his grandson James S. Brimberry, who was in college, to inform him that he planned to put the last store for sale. James S. could not let it happen, so he returned to Miami to manage the restaurant.
James N. Brimberry  joined with his Grandson James S. to run the last Royal Castle in Miami. James S.  learned the ropes from Adriana Astwood and Laverne, employees who saw his parents carry him into the restaurant as a baby. James  S. managed the store successfully for four years, and in 2023, it was  sold to new owners which included a family member.
2023 – Present
The new owners and management team now continue the legacy of Miami’s iconic original restaurant chain. It still maintains the original style of the restaurant, keeping the famous sliders and much-loved Birch Beer on the menu.
We welcome everyone to check out Royal Castle Miami and support us in restoring the glory of Miami’s first burger chain.
