Alex Schoenbaum Biography

Alex Schoenbaum (born August 8, 1915 in Charleston, West Virginia "? d. December 6, 1996 in Sarasota, Florida) 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.

Childhood and College Football career

Schoenbaum grew up in West Virginia where as a boy he worked in his father's bowling establishments in Charleston and Huntington.

He played tackle at Ohio State University 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, he 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.

Hospitality industry

Following his sporting career, Schoenbaum went on to found the Shoney's restaurant chain, a regional organization which is one of the largest businesses to have originated in West Virginia and was at onetime one of the largest family owned restaurant chains in the United States. 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 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.

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, (who became active in civic matters and philanthropy in West Virginia, and her winter hometown of Sarasota, Florida) and their two daughters and two sons together.

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 named in his memory.