This September, Storm’s Drive-In marks a remarkable milestone: 75 years of serving up classic American fare and Texas hospitality. What began as a humble soft-serve ice cream stand in Lampasas in 1950 has grown into a beloved institution with locations in Lampasas, Burnet and Hamilton.
Restaurants have long been a family business. The Storm family opened a stagecoach stop in the 1870s in Wood County and a diner in San Antonio in the 1940s. Lampasas became the final landing spot in 1950, when J.B. Storm and his wife, IraDell, opened Dairy Cue. It quickly became a local favorite, even attracting Elvis Presley while he was stationed at nearby Fort Hood.
In 1974, Dairy Cue became Storm’s Drive-In under J.B. and IraDell’s son, Robbis Storm. He opened two additional locations in the 1980s -- Burnet in 1984 and Hamilton in 1986 -- with business partner Kenneth Miiller.
Storm and Miiller passed on their dedication and strong work ethic to current owners Mike Green, Clint Connolly and Mike Kolodziej -- all of whom worked at Storm’s under Miiller and later took ownership in 2013.
Today, Storm’s Drive-In is still known for its old-fashioned burgers and shakes. The drive-in also credits its burger quality to the fact that the meat is ground in-house for the freshest burgers, and cuts their own potatoes to ensure that fresh, never frozen taste.
Despite its small footprint in the Hill Country, it is rare to travel to other parts of the state and find someone who does not know about Storm’s. In fact, the eatery ships merchandise all over the country and has even had requests from soldiers overseas to mail them a used Storm’s bag for a smell of nostalgia. Storm’s has been mentioned in countless magazine articles and regularly is featured in Texas Highways. You may have even seen it featured on the Food Network in an episode of “Best of Drive-Ins.”
Storm’s continues to thrive thanks to the commitment to quality, tradition and community. As Green, Connolly and Kolodziej carry the torch forward, Storm’s Drive-In remains a cherished part of Texas history.
As a thank you to its loyal customers over the past 75 years, Storm’s will host a full-day celebration on Sept. 13, 2025. A classic car show, cornhole tournament and concert will be held in Lampasas. Details can be found at https://stormsrestaurants.com/storms-75th/.
