Alex Schoenbaum
Alexander Z. Schoenbaum | |
---|---|
Born | Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.[1] | August 8, 1915
Died | December 6, 1996 Sarasota, Florida, U.S. | (aged 81)
Monuments | Schoenbaum Hall (Ohio State), Schoenbaum Library (University of Charleston), Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center (Charleston, WV) |
Alma mater | Ohio State University |
Occupation(s) | Restaurateur, entrepreneur |
Known for | Shoney's Restaurants |
Spouse |
Betty Schoenbaum
(m. 1940; died 2018) |
Parents |
Alex Schoenbaum (August 8, 1915 – December 6, 1996) was an American
Childhood and college football career
Schoenbaum was born in Petersburg, Virginia to Emil B. (1884 - 1962) who was born in Poland, and Goldie R. (1879 - 1951) (née Masinter), who was born in Lithuania. Alex grew up in West Virginia with three brothers, and worked in his father's bowling establishments in Charleston and Huntington.
He played
Hospitality industry
Following his sporting career, Schoenbaum went on to found the
With Schoenbaum as chairman, the Shoney's organization also developed and operated the Captain D's fast food seafood chain, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken fast-food chain, now part of Mrs. Winner's and three casual dining chains, The Sailmaker, Pargo's, and the Fifth Quarter Steakhouses. In 1976, the company started a lodging chain, with properties branded as "Shoney's Inn" motels. By the 1990s, the company operated over 1,000 restaurants.
Legacy
Alex Schoenbaum died on December 6, 1996, almost 50 years after he began what became his hospitality empire. He was survived by wife Betty Schoenbaum (née Frank), (who became active in civic matters and philanthropy in West Virginia, and her winter hometown of Sarasota, Florida) and their four children Joann, Jeff, Emily, and Raymond. They had seven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. Betty died on July 31, 2018, at the age of 100.[10]
In
In 2018, the Alex Schoenbaum scholarship and the Alex Schoenbaum Jewish Scholarship Fund was established through the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and Alex's daughter, Emily to bolster African American–Jewish relations in New Orleans.[13]
References
- ^ "Shoney's Restaurant Will Open Tomorrow". Petersburg Progress Index. January 20, 1966. p. 16. Retrieved October 1, 2016 – via newwspaperarchive.com.
- ^ Baker, Bob (May 8, 1960). "$750,000 to be spent on bowling building". Sunday Gazette Mail. Charleston, WV. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved November 30, 2016 – via newspaperarchive.com.
- ^ "Most of Schoenbaum Estate Goes to Sons". Charleston Gazette. August 5, 1951. p. 5. Retrieved October 1, 2016 – via newspaperarchive.com.
- ^ "Alex Schoenbaum, 81, Founder of Shoney's Restaurant Chain". The New York Times. December 15, 1996. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
- ^ "Schoenbaum, Alex". Schoenbaum, Alex. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
- ^ "1939 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- In this list, the Rochester franchise is Becker's, the Wheeling franchise is Elby's, the Philadelphia franchise is Tune's and the Chattanooga franchise is Shap's.
- ^ "Shoney's Changes Corporate Name". Charleston Daily Mail. October 30, 1976. p. 13. Retrieved October 2, 2016 – via newspaperarchive.com.
- ^ Zuckerman, David (May 7, 1984). "Shoney's secedes from Big Boy system". Nation's Restaurant News. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
- ^ Guynup, Gayle. "Sarasota philanthropist Betty Schoenbaum dies". Sarasota Herald. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ Sonis, Larry (December 8, 2015). "Alex Schoenbaum". e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. West Virginia Humanities Council. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- ^ Moore, Kara (March 28, 2012). "All-American Tradition". WV Living Magazine. Morgantown, WV: New South Media. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
- ^ "Alex Schoenbaum scholarship fund to make first presentations next month". November 26, 2018.
External links
- Video: Alex Schoenbaum at Shoney's No. 1 Parkette in Charleston, 1971 at West Virginia State Archives, wmv format, 0:45 minutes.