Hodad's Owner Dies, Eatery Shutters in Memoriam

Mike "Bossman" Hardin, the iconic owner of legendary burger landmark Hodad's, has passed away. According to 10News, Hardin was found yesterday in a Fresno hotel; no cause of death has been released.

Hodad's just celebrated its 45th anniversary in Ocean Beach. The original burger shop was run by Hardin's parents and moved to its current Newport Avenue location in the early 90s. The eatery has always been known for its burgers, especially the bacon cheeseburger, earning several appearances on episodes of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Triple D host Guy Fieri and Hardin subsequently became close friends. This morning, Fieri tweeted

RIP Mike Hardin "boss man". You helped the world in so many ways. We will miss you everyday

— Guy Fieri (@GuyFieri) February 6, 2015

A statement on the restaurant's website says that both the Ocean Beach location and their newer downtown outpost at 945 Broadway will be closed until Sunday, February 8 at 11 a.m. Sadly, the restaurant had already planned to be shuttered on Saturday to honor another beloved employee, Kyle Witkowski, who recently died.