Bob Wian

Bob Wian
Bob Wian about 1948
Wian c. 1948
Born(1914-06-15)June 15, 1914
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US[1]
DiedMarch 31, 1992(1992-03-31) (aged 77)
Newport Beach, California, US
Burial placePacific View Memorial Park, Corona del Mar, California
Occupation(s)Restaurateur, businessman, fry cook
Years active1933–1969
Known forFounding Bob's Big Boy and the national Big Boy chain; inventing the double-deck hamburger
Board member of
Spouses
  • Frances Abbott (1935–1956)[1][2]
  • June Ealey Baehler (1957–1992)[3]
Mayor of Glendale, California
In office
October 1948 – April 1949
Preceded byJoseph F. Baudino
Succeeded byGeorge R. Wickham
Signature

Robert C. Wian (June 15, 1914 – March 31, 1992) was the founder of the Big Boy restaurant chain. The restaurant started as a 10-stool hamburger stand in Glendale, California, opening in 1936 with an investment of $300 raised from the sale of his car. Wian sold Bob's Big Boy and rights to the Big Boy chain to the Marriott Corp. in 1967 for $7 million[4] ($64 million in 2023).[5]

  1. ^ a b "Vital Records: Marriage Licenses Issued". The San Bernardino County Sun. September 11, 1935. p. 17. Retrieved November 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. WIAN-ABBOT—Robert Charles Wian, 21, Pennsylvania, resident of Eagle Rock and Frances Lenore Abbott, 18, New York, resident of Burbank. Free access icon
  2. ^ "Divorces Granted". The Los Angeles Times. May 11, 1956. p. III–9. Retrieved May 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. WIAN. Frances L. from Robert C. Free access icon
  3. ^ "Wian, June". Obituaries/funeral announcements. The Los Angeles Times. October 5, 2007. p. B9. Retrieved May 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  4. ^ "Marriott-Hot Shoppes Negotiating Acquisition Of Wian Enterprises". The Wall Street Journal. December 8, 1966. p. 10 es. ProQuest 133077023.
  5. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.