Juan Pollo
{{Short description|Restaurant chain in Southern California}}
{{self published|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Juan Pollo Franchise Corporation
| logo =
| caption =
| type = Private
| foundation = {{start date and age|1984}} in Ontario, California, United States
| founder = Albert Okura
| location_city = San Bernardino, California
| location_country = United States
| locations = 25 restaurants (2023)
| area_served = Southern California
| key_people = Albert Okura Founder
| industry = Restaurant
| products = Rotisserie chicken
| revenue =
| net_income =
| assets =
| num_employees =
| parent =
}}
Juan Pollo is a Mexican-style rotisserie chicken restaurant chain headquartered in San Bernardino, California founded in 1984 by Albert Okura. Its restaurants are located mostly in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, with other locations in Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties.
History
Okura, originally a native of Wilmington, California, held a number of managerial positions in fast-food restaurants in the area for Burger King and Del Taco in the '70s and '80s. While serving as the manager for a Del Taco in Carson, California in 1981, an El Pollo Loco opened opposite of his restaurant.{{Cite web |url= http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/commentary/notes-of-a-native-daughter/fast-food-history-california.html |publisher= KCET.org| title= The Chicken Man with the 50 Year Plan: Albert Okura and Fast Food History |date= 5 September 2012|access-date=August 24, 2014}}
He was impressed by the chain's char-broiled chicken and the simplicity of its operations. As he investigated what his options were to opening a chicken char-broiled restaurant, he met Armando Parra, who mentioned his area of Chihuahua, Mexico had many rotisserie style chicken restaurants.{{cite news |last= Baffrey|first= Norman|date= August 3, 1986|title= This Chicken Will Wing Its Way Into Your Heart |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1049266/the_san_bernardino_county_sun/ |newspaper= The San Bernardino County Sun |via=Newspapers.com |location= San Bernardino|access-date= August 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922095648/http://www.newspapers.com/clippings/downloadClipping/?id=1049266 |archive-date=2014-09-22 |url-status=live}} {{Open access}}
Okura located a restaurant location in Ontario, California but Parra believed the location was too small for char-broiled but suggested using rotisserie cooking instead. Okura changed his plans to rotisserie chicken and opened the first Juan Pollo in January 1984. Sales for the first day were $165, but Okura refined the operations of the restaurant, including what chicken sizes worked best, cooking time and flame temperature.{{Cite web |url= http://www.sbsun.com/opinion/20090409/a-man-with-a-plan |publisher= The San Bernardino Sun| title= A man with a plan |date= 9 April 2009|access-date=August 24, 2014}}
Juan Pollo's second location opened in San Bernardino in January 1986. The restaurant also received a favorable review from Norman Baffry, a food critic for The San Bernardino Sun, which increased the popularity of the two restaurants.
Okura trained his hourly employees to become future Juan Pollo owner/operators, and most of the restaurants are owned by former employees of the chain.{{Cite web|title=Franchise information|url=http://juanpollo.com/our-story/franchise-information/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140902202511/http://juanpollo.com/our-story/franchise-information/|archive-date=September 2, 2014|access-date=August 24, 2014|publisher=Juanpollo.com}}
Philanthropy
In 1998, Okura purchased the location of the original McDonald's, opened in 1948, for $135,000 in a foreclosure sale.{{Cite web |url= http://www.marketplace.org/node/63411/player |publisher= Marketplace.org |title= Entrepreneur channels San Bernardino's history |access-date= August 24, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141205002237/http://www.marketplace.org/node/63411/player |archive-date= December 5, 2014 |url-status= dead }}{{Cite web |url= http://www.pe.com/articles/mcdonald-698775-okura-first.html |publisher= The Press-Enterprise| title= SAN BERNARDINO: McDonald's museum pays homage to the hamburger |date= 13 August 2014|access-date=August 24, 2014}}
Okura relocated his corporate offices to the location, and opened an unofficial McDonald's museum on the site. Okura refers to the location as the "historic site of the original McDonald's," due to legal issues with McDonald's. Okura didn't plan to open the museum; it was a news item incorrectly stating that he was planning on opening a museum which gave him the idea.{{Cite web|title=A Loving Shrine to McDonald's That McDonald's Shuns|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-nov-26-me-mcdonalds26-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140902202522/http://articles.latimes.com/2004/nov/26/local/me-mcdonalds26|archive-date=September 2, 2014|access-date=August 24, 2014|work=Los Angeles Times}}
Juan Pollo has become involved with the revival of Route 66, hosting its own annual Veteran's Day Parade and Car Show in front of the unofficial McDonald's Museum. Juan Pollo also has been one of the main toy contributors for the annual Christmas toy give away at the Route 66 park at La Placita on Mt. Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino.{{Cite web |url= http://www.highlandnews.net/entertainment/article_2939ee31-1c33-5237-87c5-f882ee01dc74.html?mode=jqm |publisher= Highland Community News| title= Veterans Day parade and car show highlights a new mural |access-date=August 24, 2014}}{{Cite web |url= http://iecn.com/archives/archive/WEB2013/12:26:13%20Web%20Pages/EC2.pdf |publisher= El Chicano Weekly| title= Boy and Girls Christmas toy giveaway serves 700 kids |access-date=August 24, 2014}}
Okura also purchased the town of Amboy, California on Route 66 in 2005 for $425,000. Okura worked to improve the town, with plans to add a museum and making it a destination for those who are interested in Route 66.{{Cite web |url= http://www.sbsun.com/lifestyle/20140817/a-look-at-juan-pollo-founder-albert-okuras-success-big-dreams |publisher= San Bernardino Sun| title= A look at Juan Pollo founder Albert Okura's success, big dreams |date= 17 August 2014|access-date=August 24, 2014}}{{Cite web|title=Destiny in the desert|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-17-me-amboy17-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120527025006/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/17/local/me-amboy17|archive-date=May 27, 2012|access-date=August 24, 2014|work=Los Angeles Times}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Establishments serving chicken}}
Category:Restaurants established in 1984
Category:Fast-food chains of the United States
Category:Fast-food Mexican restaurants
Category:Regional restaurant chains in the United States
Category:Companies based in San Bernardino County, California
Category:Fast-food poultry restaurants
Category:People from Wilmington, Los Angeles
External links
- [http://www.juanpollo.com Official website]