Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Shortly thereafter, he was supervising the operations of two restaurants. Webwhataburger.com DKT Investments founder Doyle W. Thomas began working for Whataburger at the age of 17. After he was killed in a plane crash in 1967, his wife, Grace, took over; although she no longer handles the day-to-day operations, she is still thought of as the first lady of Whataburger. In Tyler, Texas, Doyle's Whataburger Hot Rod Cafe has on display a sectioned side of a black '57 Chevy Jail's clerical error. Excuse me while I swallow my watering mouth and wipe away my tears .. "I'd just buy them one at a time, get them paid for, and find another one. In the Eastman Road restaurant, extreme sports make up the motif, while fifties icons such as Elvis and Marilyn hold court (a classic car chassis recently drove off to make room for more seating). And yet her lifestyle is nowhere near as opulent as the Kings. It may have been restored, but it is practically all original," he says. This unrestored, 29,000-mile, white '64 coupe is one of nine certified Benchmark cars. Late May, 1950Landed back in Midland April 21 to find that my oil partner had had over 5000 dollars invested in a drilling deal in Loving County, Texas, and on May 18 almost lost the whole thing by fouling up a deal only two days before the money would have been forfeited . Related to: Brennan Doyle Thomas, Kenneth D WebS Broadway Ave & Rice Rd Whataburger #1239. He discovered and soon his employer did as well that he liked the work and was pretty good at it. Not that the Dobsons are cheap. Mecum is not responsible for information that may be changed or updated prior to the auction. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch. Since then, the company has expanded and has more than 800 locations across the United States. By Peter Romeo on Feb. 24, 2023. It helps that Whataburgers are open around the clock: Particularly in rural parts of the Southwest,theyre the preferred place for friends to hook up, for business meetings, for coffee clubs, for drunken revelry. His practice also includes other select specialty focuses. "I launched a new product one year ago. MCKINNEY, TX (KTRK) -- What do you do when the Whataburger that you're nomming down on is so good that you spontaneously burst into song? The red '55 was a project car, which Chuck Raney, who works as a mechanic fulltime for Doyle, restored while earning money for college. Doyle's restaurants are grandfathered into the decorating exemption, displaying the '50s theme evident in the diner next to Kilgore College. The 454ci/four-speed was his daily driver for seven years. Most walk around smiling at the jaw-dropping display of Corvette memorabilia and automotive history. As promotions go inside a fast food restaurant, his came on a regular basis. Webwhataburger.com DKT Investments founder Doyle W. Thomas began working for Whataburger at the age of 17. Copyright 2000-2023 Mecum Auction, Inc. All rights reserved. Whataburger uses 100% pure American beef served on a big, toasted five-inch bun. Even today, Grace Dobson has a maternal presence that is felt in every office and hallway at Whataburger headquarters, where executives are reluctant to boast about the companys success, as if theyre afraid of being reprimanded. In 2015, they were named one of America's richest families by Forbes with an You feel this responsibility to grow the brand, and not mess it up, says Todd Coerver. The assembled knew that half a century of success comes not from boardroom strategy, not from burgers and buns, not even from Harmon Dobson, but from the millions of loyal customers who come through the doors and come back. He was assigned to clean the grounds, pick up trash and manage the dumpsters out back. t a lot of glamour attached to his new position. Haase sat next to Edwards as he spoke, breaking briefly from remodeling plans at the restaurant on South Eastman Road near Interstate 20 in Longview. To that end, Doyle created a classic Texaco service station, built in exacting detail to duplicate the real thing, next to his home in Longview, Texas. Fans will vote on their choice for Whataburger Best in Show and Whataburger employees will present a trophy to the winner, along with Whataburger giveaways for each participant in show. I am very pleased with Felhaber Larson and highly recommend them.". Because everything is cooked to order, Whataburgers service is naturally slower than it is at other fast-food restaurants. US (480) 946-9010 Whataburger uses 100% pure American beef served on a big, toasted five-inch bun. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. For all the back patting, however, the mood of the room was more grateful than self-congratulatory. I'd hang onto everything.". Her ownership interest in Whataburger has made her fabulously wealthythough how wealthy is anyones guess, since the company is privately heldyet she still lives in the same modest house in which she and Harmon raised their three children. Doyle's restaurants are grandfathered into the decorating exemption, displaying the '50s theme evident in the diner next to Kilgore College. Included in Best Lawyers in America, 2013 2022, Named Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Minneapolis in the area of Non-Profit / Charities Law, Rated AV Preeminent (highest rating) by Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory, Author, Officers, Trustees, Directors Beware! The A-frames with orange-and-white-striped roofs can be found in the states smallest towns, often where national franchises fear to tread. Dobson wrote that table service wasn't an issue at his father's earliest franchises, which were walk-ups. They say they bleed mustard. They speak reverently about the Dobsons. It came out of a museum in Arizona in 1990. Thomas saved his accumulating money and while he was still in high school, he bought his first Corvette. Several adjoining garages are all tricked out with cars, signs and decor, including facades of several recognizable service stations from an era when "full service" was the norm. Lot S202. 2955 N HAYDEN RD. Whataburger prides itself on being slow, even promoting it as a virtue in company advertising. All Rights Reserved. High around 80F. You quickly learn that this brand means something to people. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. Fuel-Injected 502/700 HP, Art Morrison Chassis, Supercharged 5.4L, Formerly Owned by Gary Meadors, The Chuck Cocoma Judge & GTO Ram Air IV Collection, The Gary Edwards Wing Car & Mopar Collection, The Gary Edwards Wing Car & Mopar Collection - Road Art, Select Vehicles From The Keystone Collection, The Kenny & Marilyn Newcombe Mustang Collection, The McCalmon Museum Collection - Road Art, Select Vehicles From the Wellborn Musclecar Museum Collection, The Gary Grieshaber Collection - Road Art, The Rod Shop of Central Florida Collection, The Bill Polverine Pump Plate Collection - Road Art, The Prince Galitzin Collection - Road Art, The Mike and Jen Bunning Collection - Road Art. Hap LeVander Charts Course for Huge Power Company Sale. That is when I contacted Felhaber Larson for advice. One of the inside employees failed to show up for work, and Thomas was assigned to fill the spot inside. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. Low mileage became a mantra we kept hearing over and over during our time with Doyle, like the 10,000-mile '57 that became the centerpiece for our photography. Mother might be more apt. He also handles a variety of transactional matters, including acquisitions and sales and commercial contracts as well as buy-sell and other arrangements among co-owners. The CarsEvery car is a story. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Leave them blank to get signed up. In 1990, he combined his love of Corvettes and memorabilia into his growing chain of Whataburger restaurants, the business he became involved with after college. Whataburger: Local food joint to celebrate 25 years of Cruise Night today, Tyler employer gets probation for recording worker while changing in bathroom, Special event allows girls to shop for prom dresses free of charge, Plans for new courthouse continue to progress. Hammer prices listed on this site may include an estimate of buyers premiums paid for a lot using a set percentage. WebBrowse all locations in Florida to find your local Whataburger - home of the bigger, better burger. That's all it took to get Doyle "hooked" on Corvettes. People "stop and stare" at his creation through the black wrought-iron gates. Michael Brown is a filmmaker and Corvette enthusiast/collector. January 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? I mean, our president does it. The ascension of Tom Dobson to the top job at Whataburger went a long way toward healing the wounds. But, the site he and Black chose from the air remains home to the restaurant half a block off West Marshall Avenue. Unlike the Golden Arches, Whataburger cant brag about billions and billions served, but the Flying W is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this summer at the top of its game: After emerging from a five-year slump, sales have skyrocketed of late, from $366 million in 1993 to $527 million in 1999. Her dad turned Whata-100 earlier this year. "There haven't been too many months in my life since then that I haven't owned at least one Corvette.". The Polo White '54 is a three-owner, numbers-matching car. Now, Thomas owns 14 of the restaurants scattered throughout East Texas. To date, it has only 3,100 miles on the odometer. The '88 is a triple-white 35th Anniversary Edition car, number 168 built that year, currently with 3,100 original miles on the clock. Prior to the Dobson children taking over, it was owned by their father, Harmon Dobson and their mother Grace, who took over following her husband's tragic death in a 1967 plane crash. A restaurant in Spring Hill celebrates local high school sports teams. "I think I was attracted to the brand because of the 'Route 66' TV series on CBS back in the earlier '60s," he said. He traces his initial interest in Corvette back to the old "Route 66" series on TV, which feature first-generation Corvettes. Doyle is interested in the history of his Corvettes. How did a single portable stand in Corpus Christi grow into one of the nations most successful fast-food chains? Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. One expatriate, homesick and marooned in Northern California, wrote in 1997, Yeah, you guessed it, I need a Whataburger here. Today his firm has 20 And whos classier than him? Mike Mitchell of Doughboys. IRS-Imposed Intermediate Sanctions Can Be Severe,Minnesota Medicine(April 1997, Volume 80), Author, Buying Back Your Practice,Minnesota Medicine(August, 1996, Volume 79), Speaker at CLE and other professional seminars on the topics of employment tax issues, non-qualified deferred compensation, planning for qualified retirement plan distributions, limited liabilitycompany issues and allocation of estate taxes, Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Iowa College of Law, 1980-1981. Those include the orange-and-white striped exteriors, and staff that will bring food to the diner. According to the Whataburger publicity department, the average Whataburger customer eats at the restaurant more times a month than the average person eats at other fast-food chains. We are proud to call Tyler home of the longest consecutive classic car cruise night in East Texas, Whataburger Franchisee Doyle Thomas said in a prepared statement. And while he was buying Corvettes, he also started buying Whataburger franchises as his success with the hamburger chain grew. The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools, Dont Let Big Dumb Hat Happen to You. He began at the bottom as a janitor and within 6 months quickly rose the ranks to be the manager. Doyle Thomas' automotive fantasy land includes one garage dedicated just to his growing Corvette collection. SCOTTSDALE, Arizona 85251. By the time headquarters devoted itself to a uniform appearance, the individuality of the East Texas restaurants was too legit to quit. It's as fresh as the day Dobson flipped the first Whataburger, his son said. WebVisit your local Whataburger at 1947 W BROADWAY RD MESA, AZ to enjoy our bigger, better burger. SCOTTSDALE, Arizona 85251. 4825 South Broadway. Juliet store New paint, signage also part of the project. It still smells good at Whataburger to the man who oversees eight restaurants in the Whataburger East Texas chain, and Doug Edwards isn't talking only about the profits. "And, because I like to decorate, we got to start doing some different things.". Recipients of the Harmon Dobson Award and the Franchisee of the Year Award took the stage and fought back tears as they gave testimonials to what Whataburger meant to them. With a scion of the Whataburger dynasty in charge, the company pulled together, simplified its message, shuttered some of its less profitable locations, and put the emphasis back on the burgers that made the chain famous in the first place. Whataburger is still headquartered in Corpus, and more important, it remains in the hands of the Dobson family. Theyve always preached the gospel of corporate involvement in every community with a Whataburger, and theyve led by example. Their trademark attorneys carefully explained the process and the costs. At Doyle's Texaco, the front room behind the pump island is Doyle's office. The corporate mentality was maturing during its middle-aged years. Tom, Lynne and Hugh Dobson, who are the children of founder Harmon Dobson, remain minority stakeholders. The Dobson family made the majority of their money from the Whataburger franchise. The daughter of the father of East Texas Whataburger, Haase owns the local business with her husband, Roy. 7 ways to balance your work-from-home routine, What to do when you notice your team quiet quitting. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. HOUSTON Houston police say they've arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting death of a man near a northwest Houston Whataburger on Tuesday afternoon. Bring on the Shiplap? Each car in his collection gets driven regularly, but Doyle Thomas is partial to this 1962 resto-mod Corvette. This past May, employees from all over the Whataburger empire converged on San Antonio to mark the companys first fifty years. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the lot at the auction site prior to the auction. We didnt have that Texas heritage and Texas tradition to play off of.. What was most troublesome was the strain in the relationship between Whataburgers corporate office and its franchisees. 1940 Mercury Convertible Street Rod. The Dobson family made the majority of their money from the Whataburger franchise. Edwards said that makes East Texas unique in the company. What a flight, peering from an airplane at Longview in 1962. Though it can't be seen from the street and it's not open to the public, he occasionally shares the automotive fantasyland with guests. Low 67F. No one even bats an eyelash when it comes to giving, says Bill Boller, an area manager for Austin Whataburgers. Locations across the United States by the time headquarters devoted itself to a uniform appearance the. 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