Dobson wrote about this difficulty in his journal: Late May, 1950- Landed back in Midland April 21 to find that Henry Mode, my oil partner, had begun drinking again. AKA Thomas E. Dobson. [5] In 1963, Whataburger opened its first location in Arizona totaling the number of stores 26. By 1990 Whataburger had 475 locations across the southern United States; WOA was running more than 30 of them, in Bexar, Bee, Jim Wells, and Webb counties. Born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, Harmon Dobson was raised in the rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. They really caught on early to the adage that pioneers get slaughtered and settlers get the land, he says. ! In 1952, Dobson opened a location in Kingsville, Texas, this was the first store located outside of Corpus Christi. Ben Cauley survived the crash and James Alexander was not on the plane. Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. After World War II ended in 1945, Dobson returned home to his home state of Arkansas, where he worked buying and selling used cars. Thank God for his drunken partners actions which led him to leave the oil business, otherwise, we wouldnt get to experience the beloved food of Whataburger! August 10, 1950- I came to Corpus Wed. Paul finally opened Tuesday [August 8] $50 first day, $79 yesterday & $62 today. Insiders still refer to this time in the companys history as the dead zone. Profits fell as the company overreached by opening stores in saturated markets like Las Vegas and adding menu items, like popcorn shrimp salad, that customers didnt want. Learn more about managing a memorial . Always thinking bigger, the moment Whataburger began, Dobson and Burton were already seeking a possible second location in Houston. I am an English & Communication Arts major at St. Marys University. Everyone expected Grace, now twice widowed, to crumble, and they encouraged her to sell Whataburger. The war was over, and his adventure had ended. I think anyone who hasnt tried Whataburger definitely should because it is one of the best fast food places. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Numbers went from 600 to 950 burgers per day.10, August 4, 1951- Proud to be the beginning of what may be a lifelong business. Its not surprising that people might want a bigger piece of that pie.. Harmon Dobson was sixteen years old on Black Friday, but this first Black Friday was no shopping extravaganza: it marked the most devastating stock market crash in United States history. This time, however, it indicated that it wasnt inclined to do so. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. However, the oil business would prove to be about as profitable for Dobson as the diamond business. Serving it hot and fresh, 24/7. 1 Colonization and Settlement (1500-1763), 2 Revolution and Early Republic (1754-1801), 4 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877), 5 Emergence of Modern America (1877-1929), 4 Late Middle Ages-Renaissance-Reformation Europe (1300-1648), 3 Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE), HS 1302 United States History since 1877, SP 3392 Language Variation and Dialectology of Spanish, Dom DiFurio and Oria McCaffrey, Whataburgers founding family sells controlling stake in iconic Texas chain,, College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. New specialty items included the Whataburger Patty Melt and the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. 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. 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. Following his success, Dobson began dabbling in oil and purchased a small well in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I have heard that Whataburger is from Texas but I was never completely sure. Dobson faced financial challenges. She was infuriated that people were telling her to sell off her husbands dream and just enjoy the money. Search above to list available cemeteries. Resend Activation Email. I never knew that Dobsons initial intent was to try and strike oil here in Texas. 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.. Dobson and Burton scouted out several locations for their big burger venture before settling on Corpus Christi. This is a carousel with slides. Great job on your article Courtney! based on information from your browser. Known for: Co-founding Whataburger with . "She was a very shy woman, who didn't want the limelight," Adler said Friday. A few weeks after the funeral, Grace visited Dobson in Corpus Christi, and they had their first date at Whataburger. 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. He had $2500 to invest in the right deal involving oil, and eventually, he became partners with Henry Mode on an oil lease in Loving County, Texas.2 Yet, this investment did not lead to success. Normally, they look at me skeptically as if to say,Yeah, Right!! Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Te damos 5 razones para no perderte el Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strip Sandwich y la Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad. Its competition is McDonalds and Wendys, not a boutique operation with three locations that offers grass-fed-bison burgers topped with arugula on a gluten-free bun. (Dobson remains as chairman.) He started his first establishment in 1950 as a large "wooden box" stand. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. 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. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. Following that, the adventurous Dobson traveled to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to help build a refinery. Being proud of everything we do. 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. This, I believe, will turn out to be a very profitable investment, which is something up until May 1, I was very unaccustomed.3, Dobson aimed to make a better burger a burger so good that it would require two hands to hold it. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Today, Whataburger is a billion-dollar industry, all because of the efforts of Whataburgers saving Grace. Dobson faced financial challenges. The main reason for the move was for oil. Es Cuaresma y Whataburger lo sabe: El Whatacatch, est de regreso! The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Harmon Dobson died in a plane crash in 1967, and his widow, Grace (whose first date with Harmon was at Whataburger #3, in Corpus), ran things until the first outsider, Jim Peterson, took. I love Whataburger and it is a Texas staple. [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. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. 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. I had over 5000 dollars invested in a drilling deal in Loving County, Texas, and on May 18 almost lost the whole thing through his drinking by fouling up a deal only two days before the money would have been forfeited Am now interested in financing Paul Burton, a hamburger expert, in some small specialized hamburger joints somewhere in Texas. I hope to become a successful journalist in the future. 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. She did not like to drive, so for years he picked her up and drove her to monthly USO meetings. Learning about Dobsons history was interesting as well, I didnt know that he had originally started out attempting to capitalize on the oil industry. During Hurricane Harvey, Whataburger rallied around the Corpus Christi community and quickly began rebuilding and fundraising efforts. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Weve updated the security on the site. 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. Cant tell much yet.6, August 11, 1950- Nice day today $97. And it is crazy to think how it was once only 35 cents and burger and not they are like 4-5 bucks for the same burger that they sold back then. Learn more about merges. Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. I was also unaware of its background nor founder Harmon Dobson. After he was killed in a plane crash in 1967, his wife, Grace, took . Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Benefits. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. His mother, Louise, and his sister, Kathy Reese, ran the business until Louise died, in 2005, leaving Reese in charge. By 1960, Whataburger had 17 restaurants. The ceremony wasnt mere sentiment at work. From the very start, Lady Grace saw to it that Whataburger gave back to the community. Whataburger was a burgeoning business, but profits were minimal. I never knew anything about the man who created it and i found it hilarious that he wanted people to say what a burger! The place did well, and soon Dobson added two more locations in Corpus and one in nearby Kingsville. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? The Alice franchise was a quick success, and over the decades Whataburger and the Andrews familys company, Whataburger of Alice (WOA), grew in tandem. The exterior of the original Burger Boy restaurant at 2323 N. St. Mary's. Chuck Blount / Staff Show More Show Less 2 of 6. Instead, during the next 38 years, the Whataburger matriarch, who died of complications from cancer Thursday in a local hospital at age 80, played an integral part in growing the hamburger chain into the eighth largest in the nation. When I think of Whataburger, I immediately think of Texas and burgers. Eventually, more people came to eat the fresh, large burgers. 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. I enjoyed reading the little journal entries included in this article because it makes it more unique and gives it a more personal feeling to what Dobson had been feeling and thinking as he was starting up Whataburger. We still greet our customers with a smile 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 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. This was interesting article especially since it was about a burger that is highly famous here in Texas. He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. August 10, 1950- I came to Corpus Wed. Paul finally opened Tuesday [August 8] $50 first day, $79 yesterday & $62 today. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. By the mid-60s, there were over 40 stores in fifteen Texas cities and four states. Before the Whataburger, the typical burger was a White Castle slider, a two-ounce beef patty on a 2-inch bun. He was not afraid to tell people if they did not meet his standards.. Police say the Harmon Rocket a two-seat sport plane caught fire after the crash, and both a man and a woman were found deceased inside the aircraft. We still use 100% pure, never-frozen beef and serve it on a big, toasted five-inch bun.
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