Burger King

Here's another bit of store trivia about the store that Bill just remembered. He gave me this info last week, but I'm just now getting around to adding it to his blog.

Enjoy.

One morning in the fall, I had just opened the gates and was outside in the front - kinda cleaning up and shifting some of my "junque" around. All of a sudden I heard tires squalling as they tried to stop. I looked up and saw a big Lincoln Town Car go by and then back up and come in the driveway.

A rather distinguished-looking gentleman got out and quickly said to me, "I want to meet the richest man or the dumbest in these parts. And I have a good reason for saying this. I just left Heaven er, ( I knew he was an outsider by the way he pronounced Heavener), and I haven't seen ONE car or person since I left up there. So for anyone to build a store out in this wilderness, he must be rich or really dumb!"

I was ready to go back inside, so I invited him to come on in for a cup of coffee. Before we got inside, a church van from Texas pulled in and about 10 people got out and started in the door.

I poured him a cup of coffee, and started doing "my thing" with the folks from Texas. By this time, another van pulled in with a few more folks. Then I heard a noise outside and knew it was a tour bus - probably with 35 - 50 folks on it.

I immediately hollered at Joan to come down and help me out. I never even had time to visit with the fellow at all, but as he left, he told me HE was the guy who decided where to build the Burger King restaurants. He also let me know that before they ever built one, they did extensive surveys and number counts to be sure it would be profitable.

He then said, "You must know something WE don't. However, you will be seeing me again soon as we are going to put in a Burger King right across the highway from you!"

Of course, they never did, and couldn't even if they wanted to because I had an option on the property across the highway, and later relinquished it to the church.

What I didn't tell him, was that it was fall foliage season, our busiest time of the year. Normally, we averaged somewhere around 200 - 300 visitors a day. During foliage season, it quadrupled.

Sure kept us hopping during those few months.

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