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Featured Brand:
 

Buffalo Wild Wings
Founded 1981 in Kent, OH by Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery
Currently has revenue of $210 Million a year with 370 locations

The year was 1981. Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery had recently transplanted to Kent, Ohio after living in Buffalo, New York. All was fine until one day when the two were craving wings. Not just ordinary wings, but authentic Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings. Only problem was there was nowhere to get wings nearby. So Jim and Scott had two choices to satisfy their appetite: they could either make a road trip to New York or open a wing joint close to home. Lucky for us they chose the latter. Hence, the beginning of Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck, now Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, the no-holds-barred grill and bar that serves up a healthy dose of fun with every batch of Buffalo chicken wings.

 
 
 
YEAR BRAND NAME FOUNDERS LOCATION LINK
       
1980 Applebees Bill Palmer Atlanta, GA www.applebees.com
  Fuddruckers Phil Romano San Antonio, TX www.fuddruckers.com
         
1981 TCBY Frank Hickingbotham Littlerock, AK www.tcby.com
Farmerboys Havadjias Bros Riverside, CA www.farmerboys.com
Buffalo Wild Wings Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery Kent, OH www.buffalowildwings.com
Big Town Hero - Covallis, OR www.bigtownhero.com
Lindey's Restaurant Sue, Chris and Rick Doody German Village, OH www.lindeys.com
Figaro's Al Debacker and Corky Gorley Salem, OR www.figaros.com
Papa Aldos - Hillsboro, OR www.papamurphys.com
Chesepeake Bagel - Washington DC, DC www.chesbagel.com
       
1982 Olive Garden Blain Sweatt (General Mills) Orlando, FL www.olivegarden.com
  Islands Tony DeGrazier West Los Angeles, CA www.islandsrestaurants.com
  Ruby's Diner Doug Cavahaugh & Ralph Kosmides Balboa, CA www.rubys.com
  L&N Seafood Grill - Knoxville, TN www.lnseafood.com
  Dave & Busters Dave and Buster Dallas, TX www.daveandbusters.com
         
1983 Quizno's - Denver, CO www.quiznos.com
Papajohn's Pizza John Schnatter IN www.papajohns.com
Rubios Ralph Rubio San Diego, CA www.rubios.com
Bruegger's Bagels - Burlington, VT www.brueggers.com
Panda Express Andrew Chemg - www.pandaexpress.com
Hooters - Clearwater, FL www.hooters.com
Miami Subs Gus Boulis Key West, FL www.miamisubs.com
Chin Chin's Bob Mandler West Hollywood, CA www.chinchin.com
Copelands New Orleans Rest. Al Copeland New Orleans, LA www.copelands.net
Blackjack Pizza Vince Schmuhl Federal Heights, CO www.blackjackpizza.com
       
1984 Café Express Robert & Mimi Del Grande Houston, TX www.cafe-express.com
  Juan Pollo Amando Parra - www.juanpollo.com
  Hooker Hamburgers John Jay Hooker - -
  Papa Murphy's Pizza - Petaluma, CA www.papamurphys.com
  American Café - Knoxville, TN www.americancafe.com
  Culver's Craig & Lea & George & Ruth Culver Sauk City, WI www.culvers.com
  Starvin' Arvin's Arvan Leany Grand Junction, CO -
         
 

 

 

 
   
   
YEAR EVENT
   
1980 El pollo loco opened in US (Los Angeles) 85 in Mexico
  Ben & Jerry's starts selling Ice Cream to Groceries.
   
1981 CKE goes public (Carl’s Jr.)
  Ben & Jerry's open first franchise
   
1982 RJ Reynolds get KFC in buy out of Heublein Inc.
  Applebee's sold to WR Grace & Co
  Gladstone's 4-fish moves to new location in Pacific Palisades
  General Foods sells Burger Chef to Hardee's.  Many converted to Hardee's
  Ruby Tuesday merges with Specialty Restaurant Division of Morrison Inc.
   
1983 Denny's Purchases El Pollo Loco
  VICORP Restaurants purchases Mrs. C's (Early 70's) /Poppin Fresh Pies and started Bakers Square
   
1984 Shultz pushes owners to open 2nd Starbucks
  Gladstone's is purchased by W.R. Grace in 1985
  Carls Jr franchises for the first time
  Ben & Jerry's Goes Public
   
   
   

 
 
Also at this time in History
   
Other Brands: 1980- Comp USA opens
  1981- MTV launches on cable television, featuring music videos.
  1981- Standard Brands Company, owner of Curtiss Candy Company, was acquired by Nabisco. In the transition they lost the original recipes for the Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars. Nabisco had to develop new recipes that customers would accept.
  1981- IBM sells its first personal computer.
  1983- Cabbage Patch dolls become a fanatically sought item.
   
Other Things: 1981- Dan Rather succeeds Walter Cronkite as anchorman
  1983- Cellular phones make their first U.S. appearance in Chicago.
   

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