Bob Evans (restaurateur) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Evans
|
|
|---|---|
| Born |
Robert Lewis Evans
May 30, 1918 |
| Died | June 21, 2007 (aged 89) Cleveland, Ohio, US
|
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1948–2007 |
| Spouse(s) |
Jewell Victoria Waters
(m. 1940) |
| Children | 6 |
Robert Lewis Evans (born May 30, 1918 – died June 21, 2007) was an American businessman. He was famous for starting a popular restaurant chain called Bob Evans Restaurants. He also sold delicious pork sausage products. His company even owns another brand called Owens Country Sausage.
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Bob Evans' Early Life
Bob Evans was born on May 30, 1918. His birthplace was Sugar Ridge, Ohio. His father and uncle were farmers there.
In 1929, his family moved to Gallia County, Ohio. They wanted to be closer to relatives. His dad owned a grocery store in Gallipolis, Ohio. Bob went to public schools in Gallipolis. He graduated from Greenbrier Military School in 1937. He also studied veterinary medicine at Ohio State University for a couple of years.
Bob married Jewell Victoria Waters in June 1940. They moved to Gallipolis. There, he bought a restaurant called the Malt Shop. When he joined the Army in 1943, he sold his share of the restaurant.
How Bob Evans Farms Started
Bob Evans Farms got its start in 1948. Bob began making his own sausage on his farm. This farm was in southeastern Ohio. He owned a small 12-stool diner in nearby Gallipolis. Bob couldn't find good sausage to serve. So, he decided to make his own. He used the best parts of the hogs he raised.
The building where he made the sausage was built with open ends. His father suggested this. It meant the building could be used for farm machinery if the sausage business failed. In 1953, friends and family saw how popular Bob's sausage was. They became his business partners. Together, they started Bob Evans Farms. The first restaurant on his farm was called The Sausage Shop. It started with 12 stools. Today, that restaurant can seat 134 people.
The Bob Evans Restaurants
In 1953, the business became Bob Evans Farms Inc. By 1957, the company opened four sausage plants. This helped them keep up with the high demand. In 1963, Bob Evans Farms Inc. offered its shares to the public for the first time. This is called an IPO. Bob Evans was a leader and president of the company. He retired on December 31, 1986.
Local restaurants didn't want to buy Bob's sausage. So, he decided to open his own restaurants. The first one opened on his farm in 1962. These restaurants were designed in a special "Steamboat Victorian" style. They had red and white colors. The first of these new Bob Evans Restaurants was in Chillicothe, Ohio. By the early 1970s, the restaurants had grown. They were all over Ohio. In the late 1970s, they started expanding into other states.
By 2012, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. was a very large company. It was worth $1.7 billion. It had over 500 restaurants in 19 states. In 2017, a private company bought the restaurant chain. The frozen food part of the business was sold separately. The company's stock was no longer traded on the Nasdaq in 2018.
Bob Evans' Community Work
Even after Bob Evans retired in 1986, he stayed very active. He cared a lot about his community. He also supported many good causes. Bob encouraged local farmers to use better ways to raise livestock. These methods are also better for the environment.
Bob Evans was honored three times by the National Wildlife Federation. He was the only person in Ohio to receive this honor. He spent over 40 years working to protect wildlife. He also helped the future of farming. He supported youth groups like 4-H and FFA. He was also involved in higher education. He was a former member of the Ohio Board of Regents. This board helps manage public colleges in Ohio. He also worked with college students at Ohio State University. He helped many community groups too. These included the Heart Fund and Easter Seals.
In 2005, Bob Evans was honored by FAO. He was named an "I'm a Child of Appalachia" honoree. This was for his charity work and business success. It was also for helping more students go to college in the region. The "I'm a Child of Appalachia" campaign shares success stories. It encourages more investment in the region. This helps more students get a college education.
Death and Burial
Bob Evans passed away on June 21, 2007. He was 89 years old. He was being treated at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. He had complications from a stroke. He was also recovering from pneumonia. Bob Evans is buried in Mound Hill Cemetery in Gallipolis, Ohio.
Ohio governor Ted Strickland spoke about Bob's death. He said, "Bob Evans was a true original. His life's work was bringing the warmth, hospitality, and good food of Ohio to the rest of the nation. We here in Ohio are all proud of him and we are all deeply saddened by his passing."
The Bob Evans Farm
Bob and Jewell Evans bought a farm in 1952. It was called the Niamiah Woods farm. It was near Rio Grande, Ohio. They lived in the farmhouse for almost twenty years. Today, this old farmhouse is called Bob Evans Farm. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is now the Homestead Museum. It tells the story of Bob Evans and his company.
Every year, the Bob Evans Farm Festival is held at the farm. It takes place in Rio Grande. It happens during the second weekend of October. The festival features crafts, old items, demonstrations, and entertainment.
See also
