Bob Evans, 12/18/86

From an article in the Dec. 18, 1986, The Herald-Dispatch written by my wife's favorite newspaper writer:

Until his two open-heart operations in 1980, Evans was his company's chief pitchman. By the time his health had returned less than six months later, the company had decided to use other commercial spokesmen.

He refuses to complain directly about the most recent Bob Evans Farms ads, including the ones featuring long-time employees saying the same things he did six years ago.

"What you have to do is go by sales. I'm not going to complain about (the new advertising) no matter how bad it is."

... Evans was recovering from the open-heart surgery and dropped from the advertising about the time the board of directors almost sold the company to Beatrice Foods Co. Evans said he met with a Beatrice representative in the family room of his Gallipolis house and discussed terms of the merger contract.

Evans called off the deal when his attorney told him what was in the contract. The advertising change "happened in the next couple of weeks," Evans said.

... Evans is a conservationist by avocation. He bought about 40 old farms years ago when they were cheap. They had pretty much languished unused until he had accumulated enough money to improve them.

I'll post excerpts from another story in a little bit. It's understandable that the second generation wants to make its own mark, but too many times in business, people destroy the brand in trying to re-invent it. I don't know what most people think of when they see a Bob Evans restaurant, but I know who I think of.