Revenge travel: Making up for lost time, but at what cost? One of the inside employees failed to show up for work, and Thomas was assigned to fill the spot inside. Thomas literally started at the bottom. Michael Brown is a filmmaker and Corvette enthusiast/collector. Like any family, Whataburgers has had its dysfunctional moments. 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. But, the site he and Black chose from the air remains home to the restaurant half a block off West Marshall Avenue. Mother might be more apt. local news and culture, Brian Reinhart As one Whataburger official explains, When she shows up at these events, its like Elvis has just arrived.. US (480) 946-9010 They say they bleed mustard. They speak reverently about the Dobsons. S.A. "Sam" Black and Harmon Dobson were looking at traffic patterns in the town of 40,000, divining the best spot for Black to open the 38th Whataburger in Texas. WebVisit your local Whataburger at 9990 N 90TH ST SCOTTSDALE, AZ to enjoy our bigger, better burger. 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. The CarsEvery car is a story. As with an untold number of his friends and contemporaries around the country, he worked at a fast food restaurant. Low 66F. Doyle's garage is full service, a full complement of memorabilia, Corvettes, and fun. The Doyle Thomas collection seems eons removed from a teenager with a job in a hamburger joint, but he's quick to say that first job played a big role in his ability to collect Corvettes today. The ownership came after the Dobson family decided to sell a majority interest in the company. Whataburger uses 100% pure American beef served on a big, toasted five-inch bun. "I launched a new product one year ago. The company didnt stand behind us, says former franchise association president Doyle Thomas. Are you an InfoNet member or Mecum Customer? 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. "BDT and the Whataburger team will begin exploring expansion plans while staying true to the brand it has been over the past 69 years," Whataburger said in a statement at the time. BDT Capitol is known as an investment banking company that was founded by Byron Trott in 2009 and has since grown into a $4.04billion company. While his Corvette acquisitions have mostly centered on the early generations and his favorites, the C2s, he bought a new C7 not long after they made their debut. He got his first Corvette-a '67 390hp, air-conditioned coupe-right after he graduated from high school in 1969. Find more info on AllPeople about Thomas Doyle and DKT Properties, LLC, as well as people who work for similar Beginning today, fans can add their Whataburger stories to an online guestbook. Dobson was at the controls - of the airplane and the hamburger chain he had founded 12 years earlier in Corpus Christi. Doyle hosts his big cruise nights there, a major attraction in East Texas. If they lose speed of service, he says, what else do they have?. Because everything is cooked to order, Whataburgers service is naturally slower than it is at other fast-food restaurants. A new restaurant in White Oak sports Haase paintings. Whataburger prides itself on being slow, even promoting it as a virtue in company advertising. That meant a Western theme at Store No. I'd hang onto everything.". The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the lot at the auction site prior to the auction. Brand-specific decor adorns Doyle Thomas' Corvette collection. 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. 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 S201. "It's really wholesome food," Edwards said. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS, Kroger does U-turn & discontinues essential after insisting it was in store, Store closures begin just days after rival to Panera Bread files for bankruptcy, I'm a lawyer - AT&T may owe you money in a $60m deal but you must act fast, Five Aldi clearance finds starting at $2 - including a great accessory, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP. Concludes Doyle, "Having these cars in this kind of display makes it fun. What was most troublesome was the strain in the relationship between Whataburgers corporate office and its franchisees. WebS Broadway Ave & Rice Rd Whataburger #1239. / Photo: Shutterstock. One of Lee's biggest deals was the $2.43 billion cash acquisition of Dunkin' Donuts. It's great for minor repairs on his Corvette collection. He discovered and soon his employer did as well that he liked the work and was pretty good at it. August 12, 1950Big Day$141.80Christ What a workhouse551 hamburgers. He started his company in 1990 and began operating Whataburger "I had a real neat license plate on this car when it was new that said '35TH.'". But when he went looking for a new car, instead of selling the old Corvette he just put it in storage. Whataburger turns 60 on Sunday, and its founder has gone to the great grill in the sky. 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. Doyle Thomas is part of a growing group of Corvette enthusiasts who like to display their collector cars in a venue where they can really be enjoyed. Juliet store New paint, signage also part of the project. "They have a track record of success with businesses as special as ours that want to grow, while preserving culture and family history. The final Corvette in Doyle's collection was parked inside the dining area of his Whataburger in Longview. It may have been restored, but it is practically all original," he says. Every time I pass Whataburger, I hear it call my name. Customers are equally devoted. The patty melt and It's an original fuelie, but the fuel unit is currently off the car. Doyle's favorite is his '63 coupe which reminds him of his uncle's car when he was growing up (plus the fact that red and black is his favorite color combination). 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. Mecum is not responsible for information that may be changed or updated prior to the auction. 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. Shortly thereafter, he was supervising the operations of two restaurants. We were trying to be all things to all people. Meanwhile, Whataburger expanded into places like Las Vegas and Memphis, where the brand was unknown, and customers didnt bite. 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. Leave them blank to get signed up. Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Who should be this week's Player of the Week. Back then, it was reported that the Dobson's decided to sell in order to expand the company's brand and customer base. Whataburger Cruise Nights began in 1989, giving local residents the opportunity to show off their customized rides, meet with other automobile owners and enjoy their favorite Whataburger meals. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. While she stays out of the limelightcharacteristically, she declined to be interviewed for this storyshe attends nearly every company event; she even shows up at picnics attended by the fry cooks and the drive-through operators. Whataburger uses 100% pure American beef served on a big, toasted five-inch He began at the bottom as a janitor and within 6 months quickly rose the ranks to be the manager. Hayden & Thomas Whataburger # 215. The collection is located in the backyard of acreage shared with his and his wife's home outside of Longview, Texas. Curbside. Today his firm has 20 The Longview and Tyler restaurants separated when Doyle Thomas bought the franchise area basically south of Interstate 20 including Kilgore. & Paying no mind to overtures from prospective buyers or the siren call of a Wall Street IPO, the Dobsons have been firmly in charge since Harmon first fired the grills. and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch. The ascension of Tom Dobson to the top job at Whataburger went a long way toward healing the wounds. 1.3-b593. "It wasn't until the mid-70's, after we opened a restaurant with a large dining room, that we introduced table service," he said. Yet the numbers tell only part of the tale. WebSupercharged 5.4L, Formerly Owned by Gary Meadors. What a flight, peering from an airplane at Longview in 1962. Webwhataburger.com DKT Investments founder Doyle W. Thomas began working for Whataburger at the age of 17. They are trusted advisors and partners who have worked closely with other family businesses and they have a tremendous reputation for doing the right thing.". Hammer prices listed on this site may include an estimate of buyers premiums paid for a lot using a set percentage. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. You have permission to edit this article. SCOTTSDALE, Arizona 85251. Jan 14, 1950Left today for Texas & God only knows where. As with an untold number of his friends and contemporaries around the country, he worked at a fast food restaurant. In the years since, the hamburger stand has grown into a mini McDonalds of sorts, with 565 locations in eight states and Mexico. Mark Wahlberg to Sip Tequila and Walk Pink Carpets in Dallas This Week, The Essential Guide to Indian Food in Dallas, from Classic Dishes to Fusion Cuisine, First Look: Mentiiras Offers Little Cravings To Go in Bishop Arts, Get Your Morning After Brunch Tickets Before Price Increase, The Iconic Blue Goose Cantina on Greenville To Close. Got his first Corvette-a '67 390hp, air-conditioned coupe-right after he graduated from school... His employer did as well that he liked the work and was pretty good at.! Az to enjoy our bigger, better burger and culture, and its franchisees was most troublesome was strain! Controls - of the inside employees failed to show up for work and! Doyle W. Thomas began working for Whataburger at the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information hear it my. Of Lee 's biggest deals was the $ 2.43 billion cash acquisition of Dunkin ' Donuts, Whataburger expanded places. 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