Georgeson’s final happy meal
Posted: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:36 am | Updated: 10:42 am, Mon Oct 3, 2011.
by Lynda Hopkins Staff Writer
Healdsburg Tribune
Posted: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:36 am | Updated: 10:42 am, Mon Oct 3, 2011.
by Lynda Hopkins Staff Writer
Healdsburg Tribune
After a twenty-four year journey of entrepreneurship, George Georgeson and his wife Debbie have made the decision to sell their three McDonald's restaurants located in Healdsburg, Windsor, and Cloverdale.
"I've been doing it for almost 25 years, including the training, and the opportunity lent itself for me to sell the business. I was approached, and one thing led to another, and it made sense for us," George Georgeson said.
Georgeson's path to franchisee began back in 1987.
"I started training to own a McDonald's in 1987," Georgeson said. "I completed the training program towards the end of 1988 and then I waited approximately 12 to 18 months to be assigned a store. I looked at stores all over the country, and was trying to get a store in California but they told me it wasn't going to happen."
As luck would have it, he got his California store.
"Shortly after that, they offered me the store in Healdsburg," Georgeson said.
Although the permitting process took a couple of years, the actual building of the restaurant took only 90 days.
"We opened May 21, 1992, FFA weekend if my memory serves me right," Georgeson said.
In 1995, Georgeson was offered the Cloverdale location. In 1997, he was offered Windsor. New owner Lisa Lin has purchased all three restaurants from him, and is relocating her family from Vacaville to Sonoma County.
Georgeson has been an active member of the Healdsburg and Windsor communities, and believes that Lin will continue the tradition.
"George has had a big footprint in Healdsburg," said Ted Calvert, who served on the Boys and Girls Club board with Georgeson.
"He was a great community leader and very helpful when it came to fundraising activities for the Boys and Girls Club," said Kent Mitchell, former mayor and past president of the Boys and Girls Club board.
"I'll give you an example. Once upon a time, years ago, the Boys and Girls Club staged the lip sync competition at the Raven Theater and George was very helpful with that. I have pictures of him and he's dressed up as a woman in drag, and George is a big boy. Let me just say that in drag for the lip sync his appearance was really quite stunning. He was a big player behind the scenes, and he was also a hands on guy," Mitchell said.
Since moving here more than two decades ago, Georgeson has made Healdsburg his home and will continue to be part of the community. He noted that the sale was bittersweet, and he will miss many of his employees, including some that have been with him since his businesses opened.
"My wife, Debbie, I couldn't have done it without her. It was a mutual decision -- but there's partnerships in life, and having a wife like mine has been great in this journey," Georgeson said.
"The friends that we made here have been real special, as well as my employees. I have some employees that have been with me fro the beginning and I'm going to miss them terribly. But timing is everything and they understand, and it's been an emotional experience all the way around for me, my wife, and my employees. Good bunch of people, good people."
"I've been doing it for almost 25 years, including the training, and the opportunity lent itself for me to sell the business. I was approached, and one thing led to another, and it made sense for us," George Georgeson said.
Georgeson's path to franchisee began back in 1987.
"I started training to own a McDonald's in 1987," Georgeson said. "I completed the training program towards the end of 1988 and then I waited approximately 12 to 18 months to be assigned a store. I looked at stores all over the country, and was trying to get a store in California but they told me it wasn't going to happen."
As luck would have it, he got his California store.
"Shortly after that, they offered me the store in Healdsburg," Georgeson said.
Although the permitting process took a couple of years, the actual building of the restaurant took only 90 days.
"We opened May 21, 1992, FFA weekend if my memory serves me right," Georgeson said.
In 1995, Georgeson was offered the Cloverdale location. In 1997, he was offered Windsor. New owner Lisa Lin has purchased all three restaurants from him, and is relocating her family from Vacaville to Sonoma County.
Georgeson has been an active member of the Healdsburg and Windsor communities, and believes that Lin will continue the tradition.
"George has had a big footprint in Healdsburg," said Ted Calvert, who served on the Boys and Girls Club board with Georgeson.
"He was a great community leader and very helpful when it came to fundraising activities for the Boys and Girls Club," said Kent Mitchell, former mayor and past president of the Boys and Girls Club board.
"I'll give you an example. Once upon a time, years ago, the Boys and Girls Club staged the lip sync competition at the Raven Theater and George was very helpful with that. I have pictures of him and he's dressed up as a woman in drag, and George is a big boy. Let me just say that in drag for the lip sync his appearance was really quite stunning. He was a big player behind the scenes, and he was also a hands on guy," Mitchell said.
Since moving here more than two decades ago, Georgeson has made Healdsburg his home and will continue to be part of the community. He noted that the sale was bittersweet, and he will miss many of his employees, including some that have been with him since his businesses opened.
"My wife, Debbie, I couldn't have done it without her. It was a mutual decision -- but there's partnerships in life, and having a wife like mine has been great in this journey," Georgeson said.
"The friends that we made here have been real special, as well as my employees. I have some employees that have been with me fro the beginning and I'm going to miss them terribly. But timing is everything and they understand, and it's been an emotional experience all the way around for me, my wife, and my employees. Good bunch of people, good people."