Madison Heights Tutors

About Madison Heights

Madison Heights is home to the famous 24 hour ‘burger joint’ named ‘The Telway Hamburger System”.

The first “Telway Burgers” restaurant opened in 1944 at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Martin Road. It was the brainchild of founder Cornelius L. Sampson, known as Lex, and his brother Les Sampson. Lex then went on to buy out his brother and new locations opened on Telegraph Road and Grand River Avenue, and in Madison Heights at E. 9 Mile and John R. Road. The “Telway Hamburgers” in Madison Heights, Southwest Detroit, opened its doors in 1959. The history of this small and iconic restaurant is a little spotty, and there are mixed reports on when the next owner, Arthur Owens, took over and in what capacity. It would seem that Owens worked for at least a few years as Manager before buying out Sampson after he opted to retire in the 1960s. Arthur Owens was recently succeeded by his Granddaughter Nicole Owens, who is now the manager of this family run operation.

The restaurant is very well known for being very affordable. In an interview published in the Detroit Free Press regarding the passing of long time owner Arthur Owens, Pam Reed a worker from the restaurant is quoted as saying, “It was always a place for anyone to go – even if you had change from the ashtray in your car, you can afford something here.” Another key element to the restaurant's longevity is their food. There are many food critics who wax lyrical about the consistently fantastic food available from "Telway Hamburgers." "Telway Burgers" is very well thought of as being the go to place for sliders, which are popular in the region, and therefore the topic of much debate. Their menu is small, consisting of a hamburger, cheeseburger, a fish or chicken sandwich, and a ‘Coney Island Dog’. They then have the standard sides, chili, doughnuts for dessert, and sodas, tea and coffee are available to drink. Their coffee is also well known as being both delicious and affordable at less than a dollar a cup. The other element which makes this small business very popular is the fact that it is open 24 hours a day and therefore is a great option for late night dining or for those suffering from insomnia.

Madison tutors who regularly visit "Telway Burgers" note that the restaurant itself is very small and consists of only a few places to sit. The kitchen in the restaurant is equally tiny, which they believe makes it even more impressive, considering the amount of patties this location produces each day.