The building that now hosts Fred's Place has been a restaurant since 1959. It became Fred's Place around 1997, when the owner, Fred Ziaz, took a friend's tip to buy the yellow-topped eatery. The black-and-white checkered floors, lime-green paint, and empty gumball machine are as telling as the line of eight always-occupied bar stools. This place is a classic, and customers often seem to know each other. Fred's Place has become a cherished secret for regulars -- a place where they know a hamburger means a half-pound of beef on a bun.