Carl’s Jr. founder Carl Karcher, 5 days shy of 91
Posted: Friday, January 11th, 2008 7:45 pmFULLERTON, Calif. — Carl Karcher, who turned a lone hot dog cart in Los Angeles into the Carl’s Jr. fast-food chain, died Friday at a Fullerton hospital, five days short of what would have been his 91st birthday, a spokeswoman said.
Karcher was admitted to St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton on New Year’s Day, suffering from Parkinson’s-related pneumonia.
Born Jan. 16, 1917, in Sandusky, Ohio, Karcher moved to Anaheim where his uncle ran a small business. In 1941, Karcher and his wife Margaret, started their first business, a hot dog cart, in Los Angeles, borrowing $311 against their Plymouth and adding the $15 from Margaret’s purse, according to the 2002 book “Fast Food Nation.”
In 1945, they opened their first restaurant, Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue in Anaheim. … Read full obituary
