Alex Schoenbaum
Encyclopedia
Alex Schoenbaum was an American
collegiate
football player
and businessman in the hospitality industry
, eventually operating a chain of motels and over 1,000 restaurants. He is best remembered for developing the Shoney's
restaurant chain in the southeastern United States
, many of which were franchised Big Boy
locations.
from 1936-1938.
Schoenbaum became a regular after the first game of the 1936 season
and was named AP
All-Western Conference
honorable mention. That year, Ohio State
had a record of 5-3-0 (4-1-0, tied for second in conference).
In 1937, Alex was named Grantland Rice
All-America
honorable mention, and AP All-Western Conference second team as the Buckeyes finished the season ranked No. 13. Their stingy defense allowed only two teams to score all year. Unfortunately, those two games were losses for the Buckeyes as they fell to Southern Cal
, 13-12, and Indiana
, 10-0. The Buckeyes had an overall record of 6-2-0 (5-1-0 in conference) and outscored their opponents 125-23 that year.
In 1938, Ohio State struggled to a record of 4-3-1 (3-2-1 in conference). Schoenbaum still excelled, and was named Grantland Rice All-America honorable mention, and AP All-Western Conference second team. Alex played in the 1939 College All-Star Game
, and also played in All-Star games against the New York Giants
and Cleveland Rams
of the National Football League
. He was a 7th round selection (55th overall pick) of the Brooklyn Dodgers
in the 1939 NFL Draft
.
Restaurant chain, a regional organization which was one of the largest businesses to originate in West Virginia
. In 1947 Schoenbaum opened his first drive-in restaurant, Parkette, in Charleston
. In 1952, it became the first restaurant in the Shoney's chain after Schoenbaum obtained the regional marketing rights to the Big Boy
trademark. In 1971, Schoenbaum and restaurateur Raymond L. Danner merged their companies to form Shoney's Big Boy Enterprises, Inc. In 1976, Big Boy was dropped from the name, as the company expanded outside its assigned territory for the Big Boy franchise, and also was embroiled in an "image issue" conflict with other franchise holders, which was settled in 1984 by dropping the franchise.
Under Alex Schoenbaum, 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.
in West Virginia, and her winter home in Sarasota, Florida
.
In Charleston, West Virginia
, where the business began, the Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center and the Schoenbaum Soccer Stadium
were family contributions to the community. In addition, at the Max M. Fisher College of Business
in Columbus
, the undergraduate business program is housed in Schoenbaum Hall in his memory.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
collegiate
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
football player
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and businessman in the hospitality industry
Hospitality industry
The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry...
, eventually operating a chain of motels and over 1,000 restaurants. He is best remembered for developing the Shoney's
Shoney's
Shoney’s is a privately held restaurant chain that operates primarily in the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It is named after Alex Schoenbaum, who was the owner of the original chain of Big Boy restaurants in the southeastern United States...
restaurant chain in the southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, many of which were franchised Big Boy
Big Boy (restaurant)
Big Boy is a restaurant chain with its headquarters in Warren, Michigan.Big Boy was started in 1936 by Bob Wian, in partnership with Arnold Peterson in Glendale, California, USA. Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1967...
locations.
Football career highlights
Alex Schoenbaum played tackle at Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
from 1936-1938.
Schoenbaum became a regular after the first game of the 1936 season
1936 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1936 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1936-1937. The Buckeyes compiled a 5–3 record, outscoring opponents 160-27. Schmidt tallied his third win versus Michigan with a 21-0 score.-Schedule:-1937 NFL...
and was named AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
honorable mention. That year, Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
had a record of 5-3-0 (4-1-0, tied for second in conference).
In 1937, Alex was named Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honorable mention, and AP All-Western Conference second team as the Buckeyes finished the season ranked No. 13. Their stingy defense allowed only two teams to score all year. Unfortunately, those two games were losses for the Buckeyes as they fell to Southern Cal
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, 13-12, and Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
, 10-0. The Buckeyes had an overall record of 6-2-0 (5-1-0 in conference) and outscored their opponents 125-23 that year.
In 1938, Ohio State struggled to a record of 4-3-1 (3-2-1 in conference). Schoenbaum still excelled, and was named Grantland Rice All-America honorable mention, and AP All-Western Conference second team. Alex played in the 1939 College All-Star Game
College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year...
, and also played in All-Star games against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Cleveland Rams
History of the St. Louis Rams
The following is a detailed history of the St. Louis Rams a professional American football team and member of the National Football League .-AFL Cleveland Rams :...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was a 7th round selection (55th overall pick) of the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
in the 1939 NFL Draft
1939 NFL Draft
The 1939 National Football League Draft was held on December 9, 1938.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round Two:-Round Three:-Round Four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
.
Hospitality industry
After his sports career, Schoenbaum became the founder of the Shoney'sShoney's
Shoney’s is a privately held restaurant chain that operates primarily in the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It is named after Alex Schoenbaum, who was the owner of the original chain of Big Boy restaurants in the southeastern United States...
Restaurant chain, a regional organization which was one of the largest businesses to originate in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. In 1947 Schoenbaum opened his first drive-in restaurant, Parkette, in Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
. In 1952, it became the first restaurant in the Shoney's chain after Schoenbaum obtained the regional marketing rights to the Big Boy
Big Boy (restaurant)
Big Boy is a restaurant chain with its headquarters in Warren, Michigan.Big Boy was started in 1936 by Bob Wian, in partnership with Arnold Peterson in Glendale, California, USA. Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1967...
trademark. In 1971, Schoenbaum and restaurateur Raymond L. Danner merged their companies to form Shoney's Big Boy Enterprises, Inc. In 1976, Big Boy was dropped from the name, as the company expanded outside its assigned territory for the Big Boy franchise, and also was embroiled in an "image issue" conflict with other franchise holders, which was settled in 1984 by dropping the franchise.
Under Alex Schoenbaum, the Shoney's organization also developed and operated the Captain D's
Captain D's
Captain D’s is a U.S.-based chain of fast-food restaurants, specializing in seafood and fish and chips. The restaurant also features a low-carbohydrate menu. The restaurant chain's headquarters is located in Nashville, Tennessee....
fast food seafood chain, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is a casual dining franchise founded in 1966 specializing in chicken, homestyle sides, and biscuits. There are currently 142 Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken locations in 14 states across America...
fast-food chain, now part of Mrs. Winner's
Mrs. Winner's Chicken & Biscuits
Mrs. Winner's Chicken and Biscuits is a regional fast food restaurant in the U.S. Southeast which specializes in fried chicken. Mrs. Winner's was...
, 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.
Heritage
Alex Schoenbaum died in December 1996, almost 50 years after he began what became his hospitality empire. He was survived by wife Betty, who became an active in civic matters and philanthropyPhilanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
in West Virginia, and her winter home in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
.
In Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, where the business began, the Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center and the Schoenbaum Soccer Stadium
Schoenbaum Stadium
Schoenbaum Stadium is a soccer stadium in Charleston, West Virginia located in Coonskin Park. The 2,000-seat stadium is home to the West Virginia Chaos of the USL Premier Development League.-External links:*...
were family contributions to the community. In addition, at the Max M. Fisher College of Business
Max M. Fisher College of Business
Fisher College’s MBA curriculum allows students to customize their focus. After learning the core functions of business, students can select from over 100 elective courses to refine their knowledge.Students may concentrate in:...
in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, the undergraduate business program is housed in Schoenbaum Hall in his memory.