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. Five of the crew died while waiting, and the remaining seven . This time, however, it indicated that it wasnt inclined to do so. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. So proud & so tired.17. 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. 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. Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. [2] She ultimately refused to sell the company, wanting it to be kept in the family, and became chairwoman of the board of Whataburger until her death in 2005. This venture led him to his destiny in the Lone Star State. In 1956 and 1957, respectively, they had a daughter named Mary Lynne and a son named Hugh Carlton. 9 Intense Plane Crashes Caused By Stalls Smithsonian Channel Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation 3.2M views 2 years ago 8 Bad Weather Plane Crashes Smithsonian Channel Smithsonian. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. "She was a very shy woman, who didn't want the limelight," Adler said Friday. In a short time, Dobson had an impressive business. He purchased a frozen custard stand called Dairy King in Big Spring, Texas, and ran it for a few weeks to learn the business. Dobson, an Arkansas native, married Harmon Dobson in . This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. Normally, they look at me skeptically as if to say,Yeah, Right!! Dobson revealed that in Fast Food magazine in 1957 that flying over a Whataburger in Bryan, Texas led to more customers buying burgers. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. In the past, corporate simply approved such requests, as stipulated under the 1993 settlement. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. But thats a tough needle to thread for a company that has developed intense customer loyalty because of its down-home, noncorporate image. This was a very interesting story to tell! 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. The purpose of this is to explore expansion plans in the northern area of the United States while staying true to the brands message.15 Some of the brand messages can be found in The Whataburger Difference. The Whataburger Difference is what separates the company from every other competitor that they have and one of the five points of focus is to protect and serve the best products in the industry.16 With this said, hopefully Texans will stay true to the family brand as changes occur, which would surely make Dobson proud of how his company has grown. 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. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. For many years the Andrews family has been instrumental to Whataburgers success. The meat and vegetables were always fresh, never frozen. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. Lawrence Jagmin, of . By Stefano Esposito and Sam Kelly. After her husband died, Grace Dobson surrounded herself with a management team, became chairwoman of the board and grew the business to more than 600 company-owned and franchised stores - and raised three children as a single parent. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. The brand really is tied to both of these families, Hartmann says. (Dobson family members also may be ready to cash out.) She also gave copious amounts of her time and money back to Corpus Christi and the state. So, he brought along Johnny Sneed, who was working with a Whataburger franchise in Victoria, Texas. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. You can count real friends on one hand. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Later, he went to Egypt and worked on the Suez Canal. New Year's Day, 1950, Harmon Dobson, a sometime bush pilot, diamond courier, and automobile dealer, wrote in his journal: . harmon dobson plane crash. Its not surprising that people might want a bigger piece of that pie.. Harmon Archibald Dobson [1] was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. Harmon Dobson was born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, to Hugh and Ethel Dobson. One year, 24 weddings were held at a Dallas Whataburger. I didnt know the history of Whataburger was so interesting. Thanks for your help! ), When most Whataburger customers walk into the restaurant, they have no idea if the place they are eating at is a franchise or a corporate-owned branch. [3][2], In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson, a widow with a five-year-old son. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. Born:? A brief period of military camels in Texas became lost to even most history books. And on May 6, 1999, Whataburger by the Bay opened in Corpus Christi as a tribute to Whataburger's upcoming 50th anniversary. Eventually, more people came to eat the fresh, large burgers. I am an English & Communication Arts major at St. Marys University. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. His mother, Louise, and his sister, Kathy Reese, ran the business until Louise died, in 2005, leaving Reese in charge. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. Dobson even cut a deal with a local bakery to make special-sized buns; the Rainbo bakery had to search the country for a company that could make pans big enough to bake them. Along the way she made lifelong friends, including Bill Sheka Sr., 83, who knew her for 50 years. Today, in 2019, it has been 69 years since the first Whataburger opened up. Send simple, comforting meals with Home Chef. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. In Reeses telling, the states most famous burger joint has become just another greedy corporate entity. In the summer of 1854, a destitute stowaway on a Texas-bound schooner was discovered and forced to work for his passage. Today Whataburger has over 800 stores in ten states serving up Harmon Dobsons original Whataburger. Te damos 5 razones para no perderte el Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strip Sandwich y la Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad. In my personal opinion, I am glad he did not succeed in striking oil because I would not have been able to enjoy Whataburger. There is a problem with your email/password. [4] In 1962, the company introduced French fries and hot pies to its menu. Shocked and saddened, the Whataburger family gathered around Lady Grace to comfort her and her three children in the wake of the tragedy. The Whataburger, however, was a whopping quarter pound of fresh grilled beef loaded with fresh vegetables and served on a 5-inch bun, and in 1950 there was nothing like it. 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. Benefits. 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. Dobson then bounced around a lot after that work on the Suez Canal in Egypt, and then in Bahrain where he was in charge of a construction of a mess hall. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Earlier this year, Andrewss company, now run by his daughter, Kathy Andrews Reese, sued the restaurant chain, claiming that Whataburger had reneged on a 22-year-old agreement between the two companies. Born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, Harmon Dobson was raised in the rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. After handling freight to pay for his travel, nineteen-year-old Abel Head Pierce, a native of Little Compton, Rhode Island, landed at the Texas port of Indianola five months after leaving home. DeLaughters Is the Little Grocery Store That Could, The Daughter of a Barbecue Family Takes Tradition in a New Direction, The Old Orange Cafe Is a Piece of Local History, Gen Zs Homemade Tortillas Could Use an Upgrade. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Harmon Archibald Dobson was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. [1] In 1971, the company opened its first drive-through store, and in 1972, it opened its 100th store. Also, Whataburger expanded to places such as Las Vegas and Memphis, where the company was unknown, leading to a lack of customers purchasing food. The number of locations doubled to more than 200 restaurants. 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. This is a terrible time to risk messing with the Whataburger brand. I am an English & Communication Arts major at St. Marys University. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. However, before he found his landing place, he took a detour to Africa where he partnered with friend JimmyAngel, who insisted that there was a lucrative diamond business there. The plane was bound for Love Field in Dallas when it went down at 5:16 P.M. according to Mitch Barket, a Federal Aviation Admistration spokesman. Also on the board were Sam W. Main who was vice president, Laneil Andert who was secretary, Ray F. Miller who was treasurer, and Roscoe Smith and Tom E. Dobson as board members.13 During this time, Grace usually avoided the spotlight, but she attended almost every company event. I hope to become a successful journalist in the future. It has expanded in the Southwest United States with about 800 locations in ten states. The meat and vegetables were always fresh, never frozen. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). I have so much fun talking to the young employees about the early Whataburger. Add to your scrapbook. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. Months later, Harmon raised the prices for burgers to 35 cents. Dobson lived in the same modest house at Santa Fe Street and Meldo Park Drive for years, maintaining a close relationship with her children, grandchildren and friends, Sheka said. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. However, Dobson was already looking to move on to bigger ventures. Learning about Dobsons history was interesting as well, I didnt know that he had originally started out attempting to capitalize on the oil industry. It was interesting to me reading about the founder of this fast food chain Whtaburger, and all the dedication he put towards his work, I think is very tragic and unfortunate the way Dobson died, he would have accomplished much more succeses during his life time. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. The exterior of the original Burger Boy restaurant at 2323 N. St. Mary's. Chuck Blount / Staff Show More Show Less 2 of 6. Search above to list available cemeteries. It is a place that feels like home to more than 50,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. Looking for a more secure venture, Dobson met and partnered with Paul Burton. Under the leadership of Grace Dobson, the company thrived and grew. I never knew anything about the man who created it and i found it hilarious that he wanted people to say what a burger! Harmon Dobson was the founder of WHATABURGER Inc. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson and they became Whataburger's First Couple. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. Dobson agreed, and the Alice store opened a year later. Yet despite its success, Whataburgers history has included some setbacks. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. I always found it kind of weird that Whataburger has mostly been a Texas obsession and it amazes me that when they expanded to Memphis and Las Vegas, business declined. It was an instant success, and Harmon began to expand the business to other markets. He died when his private plane, a Cessna Skymaster, crashed shortly after takeoff. Really great article. The other victims were identified by the Texas . Dobson's journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. Eventually, Jim Peterson became the new CEO, but he left a negative impact on the company. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. In part because of its regional statusof the nearly 800 current Whataburger locations, more than 600 are in Texasthe chain inspires a combination of pride and loyalty among many Texans. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Since his businesses were now at different locations, Harmon figured it was wise to visit them by plane. Everyone expected Grace, now twice widowed, to crumble, and they encouraged her to sell Whataburger. Try again later. He felt like the burgers at Dairy King were too small and wanted to build a really big burger, calling it the Whataburger. Each and every Whataburger is still made to orderwhen it's ordered. The ceremony wasnt mere sentiment at work. Weve updated the security on the site. More than seven decades ago, an adventurous and determined entrepreneur named Harmon Dobson had a bold idea: to serve a burger so big that it took two hands to hold, and so good that after a single bite customers couldn't help but exclaim, What a burger! He named his humble burger stand, located on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, Whataburger.. Try again. Ben Cauley survived the crash and James Alexander was not on the plane. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. Today, more than seven-hundred of the distinctive orange and white WHATABURGER restaurants can be found in eleven states, and total more than $1billion is sales annually. "I considered myself lucky to be a friend of Grace. The place did well, and soon Dobson added two more locations in Corpus and one in nearby Kingsville. This was a very interesting story as I am always buying Whataburger and hear that is was once a family restaurant but never really took the time to read and learn about the story. Because of World War II, auto manufacturing plants had been repurposed to produce wartime products. There were nine crew members on board. And never forgetting where we started. 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. It was such a smart marketing move to drop flyers, coupons, and carry a Whataburger banner in the air. For the Andrews family, this shift in corporate culture first became apparent two years ago, when it told the company headquarters, which had moved from Corpus to San Antonio in 2009, that it wanted to open a new store in Laredo. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. 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. In 2017 alone, Whataburger partnered with over 600 charities across its ten-state service area, donating over $5 million. To this day, giving is a huge part of the Whataburger dynasty. 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. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. 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. The plane was making unusual noises and was rumored to be having engine trouble. Grace Dobson, also known as Lady Grace, is the famous face behind the Whataburger empire. In 1953, Joe Andrews Sr. became the first franchise owner that was not one of the original founders, with a location in Alice, Texas. He took jobs at the county fair and as an apprentice iron worker. UPLAND, Pa. (AP) _ A former New Jersey state trooper severely injured in the crash of United Airlines Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa, last month has died, a hospital spokeswoman said. Shortly after arriving on campus, Harmon was called home to help with a family crisis. In short, Whataburger made it very plain that its position is that Whataburger never intended WOA would have the benefits that the 1993 Agreement clearly states that it does, the lawsuit says. In addition to that, Dobson sold chips and a cold drink with the burger. In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. Spicing Things Up: Whataburger Buffalo Ranch Chicken Lineup Returns for a Limited Time, Get Ready for More Bold Flavors: Whataburger is Growing in Memphis, Whataburger Celebrates One Year of Delicious Dining in Colorful Colorado, MyWhataburger
This plane was easy to spot as it towed a Whataburger banner in the air and blared its duck-like airhorn.9, After every flight, business would do well. In 2020, Whataburgers 70th anniversary year, curbside pickup and delivery options launched, the companys first food truck was unveiled, and our first new large-unit prototype opened. Whats the beef between Texass most iconic burger chain and its most loyal franchisee? Whataburger has been highly successful in a very competitive market, says Stephen Barth, a professor of law and leadership at the University of Houstons Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Failed to remove flower. I never knew that Dobsons initial intent was to try and strike oil here in Texas. BDT is a merchant bank that invests in family-owned companies. Thats quite a success story to tell, though. Whataburger is so common to me, as a Texan, that I forget not every state has one. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harmon Dobson (16533251)?