Horne's (restaurant)

Horne's was a Southern-style restaurant chain located primarily in the Southeast and Southern United States along major highways. It was headquartered in Bayard, Florida. At the chain's peak there were over 60 Horne's locations, but today only one original restaurant remains. Many restaurant locations featured diner-style sit-down service as well as lodging, Texaco gas stations, gift shops, and an ice cream bar, creating a one-stop shop atmosphere. Since many locations were on highways, many Horne's restaurants were open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

History

Early days

In the early 1930s, Bob Horne and his family owned and operated "Horne's Beauty Rest Cabins", a motel located near Jacksonville, Florida. When Horne was 22, he began working at a Stuckey's in Eastman, Georgia, where he made his own candy for the restaurant. After a few years working there, he decided to create his own restaurant and candy shop. On October 4, 1948, Bob Horne founded his first store, located a short distance from the Beauty Rest Cabin. The original concept was to have the stores along major highways and sell candies, nuts, and souvenirs to travelers. Bob Horne's father Alton Irving Horne became secretary of the company. In 1950, "Horne's Enterprises" began a $2 million expansion plan after selling 235,000 shares of common stock of the company. The expansion also saw the addition of a 25-seat counter grill to many of the restaurants. The grills would later be known as "Circus Grills" because of their circus-inspired theme.

As he expanded the chain, Horne started to include other amenities to attract tourists along the highway. He later added motels to many of the restaurants to create "Horne's Motor Lodge and Restaurant." On May 7, 1953, the company was incorporated in Florida as "Horne's of Bayard, Inc."."Horne's enterprises posts gains by feeding the hungry traveler"
(1963, Feb 04). ''Barron's National Business and Financial Weekly'', p.24. By 1956, 8 years after being founded, the chain had expanded to 17 locations in eight states. Horne also began having his restaurants' roofs painted bright yellow to attract customers, and erecting tall signs outside the restaurants to be seen from the highway. In 1963, over 1,250 signs had been built along the highway to advertise Horne's. By the time Horne was 30, he was a millionaire. By 1963 Horne's had 44 units mostly along the eastern seaboard. During the same year, Horne's sales rose to $9.2 million, an increase from $5.7 million during the previous year.

Purchase by Greyhound

In 1964, The Greyhound Corporation purchased nearly all the chain's stock from Bob Horne for $14,000,000. Harold L. Lumpkins, controller of much of Horne's stock, said, "This is primary to enable Horne's to expand at a more rapid rate. Greyhound has all the money they need and are looking for diversification and we are looking for expansion." When Horne sold his company, he had 55 restaurants in 15 states. After the purchase by Greyhound, John W. Teets became president of the enterprise. Several years after selling the restaurant chain, Horne would later go on to develop Powder Horn Mountain in Watauga County, North Carolina

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