Auburn Magazine

Local Heroes
1120 High St
Auburn, CA 95603
Phone number 530.820.3030
Mon-Sat 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sun 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Above: The re-design includes six beer
taps that Lisa plans for local beers. Pickle
Fries that are served with ranch.
Next page: Loomis Basin wheat beer. The
famous Auburn City Fire Burger. Photos
by Jeremy Burke, Auburn Magazine
26
LOCAL HEROES GETS A FACELIFT
Local Heroes is a burger place that
has, under various names and
owners, deep roots in the community.
It’s been a favorite haunt for, among
others, the throngs of Placer High
students who walk over for lunch. It’s
also been, until recently, a shrine to
the “local heroes” for whom it’s named
– local student athletes, members of
the armed forces, Fast Friday speedway
competitors and first responders of
various stripes.
All that’s changed. The walls that
once displayed countless photographic
portraits and action shots of those local
heroes have received a facelift – some
new paint, distinctive wall treatments
and a brand new beer bar in the dining
room, serving local brews on tap.
Lisa Swisley, who’s owned Local
Heroes since 2011, says the reaction
to the dramatic makeover, designed
by local business owner Deb Arbogast
of Stella+Parker Revival, has been
positive. “The atmosphere is just so
different,” she said. “People really
seem to like it.”
Although the previous décor was
rich in local history – “You got rid of
the green and gold,” she quoted one
customer as telling her, referring to
the colors of Placer High -- it gave the
restaurant a dated ambience. “It just
didn’t have a cohesive feel,” Swisley
said. “Now, the atmosphere is just so
different.”
The addition of a beer bar in the
back of the dining room changes the
feel of the place. With a few comfy
stools and a half-dozen local brews on
tap, Local Heroes feels more grownup.
Those seeking a cold one can
choose from Loomis Basin Brewing
Co.’s wheat, pilsner, imperial ale and
stout, a mango double-IPA from Out
of Bounds Brewery, and a Gold Digger
IPA from the Auburn Alehouse.
What makes a beer better is a nosh, and
Local Heroes addressed that a couple
of years ago with a menu revamp. The
burgers are variations on a theme, with
several sporting names that pay tribute
to local heroes.