Oakwood Proper Burgers

09/06/2026

Our fall hours begin this week.

Here are some things to note:

✨Breakfast hours have not changed (8am-11am Tuesday-Sunday).

✨We are closing at 7pm Tuesday-Saturday.

We know this means we will cut sales and some of you will be disappointed. We hate not serving you -- but it's a promise to staff. They work so hard all summer long (all year really, but summer is insane), with the understanding that after Labor Day they get an hour of their evening back.

We take orders up until 7pm, so don't feel badly if you're walking in at 6:59pm to order - we do not mind that at all!

Thanks for understanding the shift in hours. We appreciate your support.

08/30/2026

The last week of summer is upon, and what an amazing season it's been. We began the season with the 1,000 burger challenge for our Cohort, Bergstrom Burgers, and you blew the challenge out of the water nearly selling 2,000 burgers. (Link in comments)

The season didn't stop from there. We've had guests and friends from all over the world visit us, including David Schwimmer at our shop several times and we just let him be "normal" like the rest of us - in fact, on his first visit I asked him if he'd ever been here before. (I was cooking burgers and he just seemed like a regular folk to me-- and when he came back in to ask for something I wasn't paying attention and was doing some ridiculous hip stretch because I'm getting older and he witnessed it all - talk about embarrassing!😊)

While it's incredible to have celebrities eat at our shop, the regulars and the tourists are what keep us going. The guests that come in and leave as friends. The babies that grow up in front of us. The tears shed when you're grieving a loss. It's far more than a little pink building on the corner. There is a life, a heartbeat and a spirit that connects us all on that magical corner.

We've served at over-capacity for nearly three months straight this summer -- meaning we're producing and grinding a bit more out than should be humanly possible. Our staff has been doing it with grace, and while a few people have been upset their food takes 30 minutes when there are 100 burgers on the rail, 99% of you have just been thankful we keep cooking (even when that means we are staying extra time beyond the closing hour).

Breakfast is beginning to trend more, but many of you still don't know we serve breakfast daily! So, come check that out sometime.

We switched to beef tallow (and yes it's posted at the shop). It caused controversy. We're sorry about that -- but it's easier to source, has a longer stability life, and frankly, we just think it tastes better.

There is a lot in the post, and if you've read this far then I thank you. I guess what I'm getting at is that my gratitude, love, appreciation, passion and humility from the way you support us can't be summed up into words. It's an overwhelming feeling that makes my heart feel like it's dripping with a saturation of emotions. You're a life blood, and sometimes I just can't believe we're all here together sharing this amazing moment in time.

Thank you. I love you all.

08/23/2026

We are still looking for some PT staff to join our team! Whether you need 8 hours or 30 hours a week, we can work with your schedule! DM me if interested- no experience required! If you're friendly, and enjoy a fun crew- send me a DM!

08/18/2026

It's a little overwhelming to think of the time that the author, Lena Hartley, dedicated to writing this article. This is a complete surprise to read this today, and I feel incredibly grateful for the kind words and thorough review of our shop. I truly appreciate the recognition to our staff and our dedication. We truly love our little pink burger shop on the corner, and the community that supports us -- from all travels.

Thank you, Lena and Unearth Michigan. We are very humbled.

Standout burgers, retro charm, and an unmistakable little pink building have turned this Traverse City spot into a Northern Michigan favorite worth the drive. See why burger fans travel hours to try it in the comments.

08/10/2026

I did not realize the breadth of my reach yesterday, when sharing a business frustration. Nearly 1,000,000 views in less than 24 hours (I have since hidden the post as my intent was not to be viral about a personal frustration). I look at social media as a connection to people that know me-- not as the fury that can sometimes exist, and not always for good.

With that said, and with permission, I want to share one of the most beautiful poems I have read in quite sometime. A former school colleague, Tiffany Soule Horton, wrote this. It captures exactly what I feel in the air about August. What I've never been able to put into words, she has done quite marvelously.

I hope this post generates more than a million views. The fury should exist for positivity.

Thank you, Tiff. You've captured my soul with your words.

08/01/2026

We are hiring some part-time staff. Flexible schedule, seasonal or year-round. No experience necessary- must be 18+ - DM me!

07/19/2026

Rocket Dog.
Tonight only.
Limited quantity.
Movie night! 10pm
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
You can even just stop by for the dogs!

07/19/2026

Tonight! Monsters Unreeled will be playing Killer Klowns from Outer Space! Movie starts at 10:30pm. Outside. Rocket's Bologna Grill starts at 10pm. Limited Rocket Dogs available.

07/13/2026

EDIT: Last night we received a letter from our supplier that gives us confidence to serve our Markon lettuce to you, and consume it ourselves. This lettuce is triple washed and has the highest food safety rating. We understand if you're not comfortable eating lettuce at this time - so please request NO LETTUCE on your burger if you want to omit the crunch.

HOLD the LETTUCE! Hey folks, as an extra over-abundance of precaution, we're holding the lettuce on all orders until we know for sure our iceberg lettuce is safe! Although we purchase triple-washed bagged lettuce with the highest of safety standards (Markon), with our volume of production we can't buy heads of lettuce, wash and chop, soooo... until we know for sure we want to be extra careful! Hope you understand!

But in other news-- look at this beautiful high production shelving unit Josh custom built today. We're really gonna be able to crank the Burgers out now.!

And MORE NEWS? Beef tallow lives on! As it turns out, beef tallow has a longer life in the fryer, crisps the fries more, and is easier to source than the previous soybean oil we used. For those of you loving our beef tallow fries, your dreams have officially come true. Beef tallow is here to stay for several more weeks, and maybe forever.