Story Of Popeyes and Al Copeland
⚜️ New Orleans Icons - Al Copeland ⚜️ 🤩 LOVE THAT CHICKEN FROM POPEYES 🤩 ⚜️ Alvin Charles Copeland was born on February 2, 1944. ⚜️ ⚜️ Copeland had a humble beginning with his family living at one point in the St. Thomas public housing project.⚜️ ⚜️ Copeland's father left the family shortly after Alvin ("Al"), the youngest of three sons, was born. ⚜️ ⚜️ Copeland did not complete high school, having left at 16. ⚜️ ⚜️ He worked at Schwegmann Brothers Giant Supermarkets store in Gentilly as a soda jerk and then for Tastee Donut, a doughnut chain partially owned by his brother, Gil. ⚜️ ⚜️ At 18, Copeland sold his car to purchase one doughnut location from his brother. ⚜️ ⚜️ This experience exposed him to the restaurant business and franchising. ⚜️ ⚜️ While Copeland never completed high school, he used his wealth to benefit education programs, including establishing the Alvin C. Copeland Endowed Chair of Franchising at Louisiana State University, providing funding for the Delgado Community College chef apprentice program, and supporting the National Food Service Institute. ⚜️ ⚜️ He had nine children – five sons and four daughters – by four wives. ⚜️ ⚜️ His eldest son, Al Copeland Jr., became the CEO of Al Copeland Investments, of which he is also the chairman, in 2003. ⚜️ Copeland became a New Orleans icon due to his flamboyant lifestyle, including his eponymous power boat racing teams, extravagant weddings, and his annual Christmas light show at his mansion located in an upscale neighborhood in Metairie. ⭐️ Popeyes Chicken ⭐️ ⚜️ In 1972, Al Copeland founded the Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits fast food chain in the New Orleans suburb of Arabi in St. Bernard Parish. ⚜️ ⚜️ Copeland began franchising his restaurant in 1976, opening the first franchise restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ⚜️ ⚜️ Approximately 500 outlets were added over the next 10 years, followed by 200 more during a period of slower expansion. ⚜️ ⚜️ In March 1989, Popeyes, then the third-largest chicken chain, purchased Church's Chicken, the second largest. ⚜️