When he opened the first stand, on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, he envisioned selling a burger big enough that it would take two hands to hold it. Theres no question that Whataburger, if managed properly in the public market, could deliver a significant return, he says. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. By March 5, the couple was married. By 1960, Whataburger stores had expanded and were operating across Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. In the early years, Graces oldest son, Tom, enjoyed helping Harmon make the root beer at Whataburger. It is crazy that he died in a plane crash. H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. I thought it was only a Texas thing and never heard of them existing anywhere else. They are memories Sheka said he will treasure. Sorry! If they cant settle their differences, its not clear where theyll be tomorrow. Try again later. Whataburger, which saw San Antonio as a key growth market, filed suit to block the sale. BDT Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in Whataburger and Ed Nelson was promoted to President in 2019. Be the first to post a memory or condolences. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. The men were killed instantly.12, About two years after Harmon Dobsons death, on July 10, 1969, Grace Dobson, the wife of Harmon Dobson, was officially elected chairwoman of the board with George W. Garrison named as the president. By the late eighties the company had begun to lose its way. In fact, people love representing Whataburger so much, they rush out to get the latest Whataburger swag: from Whataburger sunglasses to Whataburger sneakers, t-shirts, sweaters, and hats. Harmon Dobson was born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, to Hugh and Ethel Dobson. "It was a friendship that grew and grew," Sheka said. All three work hard to ensure that Whataburger never strays from their fathers original concept, which was to serve hungry people great food in a clean and friendly environment. It has expanded in the Southwest United States with about 800 locations in ten states. ! During this time he traveled to North Africa where he helped build a U.S. Navy base and worked on airplane hangars, radio towers, tanks, and whatever else the Navy needed. It was very smart of Dobson to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers so that his business to boom even more. He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. After he was killed in a plane crash in 1967, his wife, Grace, took . Burton wanted to cut back on the product, convinced that customers would not pay that much. [3][2], In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson, a widow with a five-year-old son. I am an English & Communication Arts major at St. Marys University. The beloved Nickel Mugnow a classic piece of Americanadebuted as a promotion which was supposed to last 1-year but ended up running for 14. However, Dobson found success to be lonely. We still greet our customers with a smile 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is a place that feels like home to more than 50,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? harmon dobson plane crash. The number of locations doubled to more than 200 restaurants. Even the grandchildren work at Whataburger and attend company meetings. It was fascinating to see that the burger/fast food chain that Dobson created (along with other people) would end up becoming the most notable food item in Texas. They werent in a hurry to expand, and they rarely if ever expanded outside their comfort zone and their target market.. My name is Courtney Pena and I am from McAllen, Texas. BDT is a merchant bank that invests in family-owned companies. A Douglas C-124C Globemaster II plane, serial 52-1062, was damaged beyond repair in an accident 10 km from Stephenville-Harmon AFB, NL (YJT), Canada. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). The next year, we awarded more than $90 million in bonuses to our Family Members (what we call our employees) in thanks for their extraordinary service during the pandemic. Failed to remove flower. One year, 24 weddings were held at a Dallas Whataburger. Grace Williamson and her 5-year-old son, Tom, rented a home owned by Dobsons brother Coy. I was also unaware of its background nor founder Harmon Dobson. Police found two dead people inside the. Were not making much profit but at least they are going fast for our product.7, August 12, 1950- Big Day 141.80 What a workhouse 551 hamburgers.8, Dobson realized the presentation of his burgers mattered. The burgers were always cooked exactly how the customer wanted them to be. Eventually, Jim Peterson became the new CEO, but he left a negative impact on the company. On June 23, 1950, the Texas Secretary of State office granted Dobson the trademark for Whataburger. Dobson then invested more time and more effort into developing the first Whatabuger.4, Eventually, on August 8, 1950, Dobson opened and sold his first Whataburger through the window of a little portable building. For Adler, the name on the stadium and the ball-throwing honor were small tributes to a woman he thought the world of. In June Dallas-based Brinker International, which owns Chilis and Maggianos Little Italy, unveiled a plan to buy franchises to boost earnings. Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. As a team, they expanded the Whataburger chain and had a family. He attributes that success to Whataburgers prudent approach to growth, training, and customer service. Following that, the adventurous Dobson traveled to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to help build a refinery. Make sure that the file is a photo. And on May 6, 1999, Whataburger by the Bay opened in Corpus Christi as a tribute to Whataburger's upcoming 50th anniversary. Learn more about merges. In 1942, Dobson went to North Africa to do work on pipefitting scrapyard work, and cable rigging for Bell Telephone Company. . Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. The lawsuit, filed in San Antonio in March, traces the roots of the dispute to the earliest days of the Whataburger chain, which Dobson founded in 1950 after stints in shipbuilding, oil drilling, and diamond trading. In 1969, Grace became chairman of the board. My name is Courtney Pena and I am from McAllen, Texas. Whataburger is bigger than all of those, and that may be the point. ). Whataburger founder Harmon Dobson stands in front of his first . He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. Peterson resigned in 1993. The exterior of the original Burger Boy restaurant at 2323 N. St. Mary's. Chuck Blount / Staff Show More Show Less 2 of 6. Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. . Andrews, a longtime friend of Whataburger founder Harmon Dobsons, wasnt simply the companys first franchisee, he was its most successful, opening dozens of locations in Texas and helping the chain build its reputation. Whataburger was doing well after its grand opening. Serving it hot and fresh, 24/7. Harmon Archibald Dobson [1] was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. However, if one thinks about it, if it were not for this incident, Dobson would not have gone down the road that he did to finance Whataburger. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College. This venture led him to his destiny in the Lone Star State. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Lawrence Jagmin, of Frankfort, crashed Tuesday evening near Illinois 394 and Lincoln Highway in Ford Heights. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. Joe Andrews Sr. died in 1999, and his son, Joe Jr., took overand then died suddenly three years later while attending a Whataburger conference in New Orleans. The place did well, and soon Dobson added two more locations in Corpus and one in nearby Kingsville. At first, Harmon was content to help his parents on the farm, but his wanderlust eventually returned, calling him elsewhere. They really caught on early to the adage that pioneers get slaughtered and settlers get the land, he says. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. As a standard for mythical tall tales and legends, it comes as no surprise that Texas holds the national corner on stories of lost treasure. They were finally recovered earlier this month after five months of rescue attempts. He flew to Texas to scout out the oil and auto possibilities in places like Witchita Falls, Dallas, and Houston. However, after only four months, Dobson grew restless and returned to the U.S. By August of that year, he returned home. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. After hearing from a friend in Houston that Texas was teeming with both cars and oil, Dobson, whose business ventures now had him traveling halfway across the U.S., purchased a private plane and learned to fly it. Thats when they look at me through squinted eyes and really say, Yeah, Right!! In a short time, Dobson had an impressive business. He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. Once it was averted, Harmon began searching for a new path to success. He was able to please his customers with a five-inch burger by making special arrangements with the Rainbo Bread Company to develop five-inch buns, which were an inch larger than the standard bun. I have heard that Whataburger is from Texas but I was never completely sure. The meeting between Pierce and the rich soil of the coastal plains of Texas might have been destiny. Its hard to ignore a burger that makes you say What a Burger!. Dobson faced financial challenges. Harmon Archibald Dobson (October 8, 1913 - April 11, 1967) [1] was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. This event coincided with the mass unemployment and hysteria that lasted throughout the following decade. Es Cuaresma y Whataburger lo sabe: El Whatacatch, est de regreso! Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. Along the way she made lifelong friends, including Bill Sheka Sr., 83, who knew her for 50 years. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. She is survived by two sons, Thomas and Hugh Dobson; a daughter, Lynne Dobson; three sisters, Lola Stettler, Louise Abbot and Jean Florie; and five grandchildren. I'm going to miss her, too." Months later, Harmon raised the prices for burgers to 35 cents. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. Their business completed the next day, on April 11, 1967, and the men were going back home. BDT is a merchant bank that invests in family-owned companies. [4] Burton and Harmon decided that Burton would own the Whataburger franchises in San Antonio, Texas, while Harmon would own the rest of the company and its franchises. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. What disappointed Harmon most about this era was the news that although he was accepted to the University of Missouri to study journalism, he would never graduate. Thats quite a success story to tell, though. Its a brand built on pride, care, and love. Since his businesses were now at different locations, Harmon figured it was wise to visit them by plane. In 1952 Andrews, who lived in Alice, brought his family to eat at the Kingsville branch and was so impressed that he contacted Dobson about buying a franchise. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. He purchased a frozen custard stand called Dairy King in Big Spring, Texas, and ran it for a few weeks to learn the business. In addition to that, Dobson sold chips and a cold drink with the burger. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. In Reeses telling, the states most famous burger joint has become just another greedy corporate entity. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The airplane operated on a flight from Stephenville-Ernest Harmon AFB, NL (YJT) to Terceira-Lajes AFB, Azores (TER). Dobson wanted to increase the price of a burgerfrom 25 to 30 cents. Dobson filled that need by buying used autos from urban areas like Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and selling them back in Batesville for huge profits. ! Then they ask, whats a picture show? I try to explain drive in movies to them. Wikipedia. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. In the midst of this turmoil, Andrews, who decades earlier had been given exclusive rights to Bexar, Bee, Jim Wells, and Webb counties, decided in 1990 to sell his San Antonio franchises to an outside buyer, in order to better focus on the South Texas market. A Montana family is mourning the loss of their husband, father and grandfather this week after the 50-year-old man crashed in an airplane in Summit County while flying solo along a route he knew well. Four of six Bar-Kays members died: Ronnie Caldwell, Phalon Jones, Jimmy King and Carl Cunningham. Thats what made me mad, made me want to fight, Grace told biographers. Normally, they look at me skeptically as if to say,Yeah, Right!! Perhaps the Depression stuck with young Harmon because food was important to him long after tough economic times had ended. Treating our customers right. Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Occupation: Business Nationality: United States Executive summary: CEO of Whataburger Father: Harmon A. Dobson (Whataburger founder, d. 1967, plane crash) Mother: Grace (d. 1-Sep-2005) Brother: Hugh Sister: Lynne Whataburger President (1993-2007) Whataburger CEO (1993-) George W. Bush for President
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