If you ask my dad why they opened Sandy's, he would say, "For us. For our family, so we could have a good family life." It might sound funny to say hot dogs equal family life, but it was true.
In 1979, Dad was working with Eckerd Drugs. By then, he had worked with Eckerds for over 15 years. What started as a part time high school job for my dad had become a successful career. He worked full time until he entered the US Air Force for four years. After finishing his service, he returned to Eckerds where he quickly progressed as an assistant manager, store manager, supervisor of several stores, district manager, and division manager. In other words, he was crushing it. However, "crushing it," often required moving: From Winston Salem, North Carolina to Decatur, Alabama; from Decatur to Chattanooga, Tennessee; and from Chattanooga to Irmo, South Carolina.
We were just settling into life in Irmo. Our neighborhood, Quail Valley, was new, and full of children our age. We had only been there a couple of years, but liked out neighbors, and attended good schools. Then my dad got another promotion. This one was different.
For a year, my dad drove to Asheville every Sunday night, worked there all week, and drove home Friday to be with us for the weekend. My mom handled everything at home. It must have been hard. I say that now, because I'm a mother. At the time, I don't remember life being much different. Maybe we went through the Burger King drive thru more often, but maybe not. We all loved BK Lounge on a normal year. But eventually, they had to choose whether we could move again with the position.
Perhaps another option was to stay with the company, but plateau professionally, so we could stay rooted in Columbia. However, if you've met my dad, you know that he isn't into plateauing. He is always thinking about growing and improving. He took that initiative, and he and my mom made the risky jump as small business owners. I wonder what Mom thought when he said, "What if we trade this stable position for selling hot dogs?"
I'm sure my parents had endless conversations about what it might involve and cost to trade a stable job with pensions and benefits, stock options and promotions for a job where you're completely in charge of your own destiny.
They agreed as a couple to take the risk. Of course it was their decision, but I feel like we chose it as a family. From the beginning, the business belonged to all of us. He reminded us of that often. Sometimes people assume it was his business or his and mom's. Many people think his name is Sandy. (actually his father's nickname and just the short catchy version of Sanderson), because he was in the stores everyday, but it's not how he thinks of it. We've always been told we all made it happen together.
Even at eight years old, I felt like an important part of the endeavor our family was starting. Leslie was 13 and working behind the counter the first week. Thank goodness she'd had that growth spurt, so she could see over the cash register. And my parents will tell you with certainty, she was needed desperately. It was all hands on deck. We were valued, and we knew it.
My parents opened the first location in Village Square Shopping Center in Lexington, South Carolina with less than $10,000, no investors, and no loans. A big fraction of that cost went towards a huge lighted sign with a logo Dad designed himself. "They can't come if they can't find us ". He also upfitted that store himself. The cabinets, the plumbing, the layout...he figured it out as he went. I've always believed he could do anything, because he was some sort of superhero tradesman, but he says, "You learn what you have to learn when you need to do it for free."
If you've grown up in a family business, you know what I mean. Especially at the beginning, a family lives and breathes the business. Such a small percentage of new restaurants survive the first 1-3 years. Everyone is needed.
I loved every minute of it.
(To be continued)
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