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July 22, 2010 in Misc., Urban Studies | Permalink

Roast beef sandwich and curly fries. (Image by Lenin and McCarthy.)

VINTAGE Large Orange Arby’s R NEON SIGN w/Transformer – $50 (Stone Ridge)

This is an original vintage 1970s large orange lower case letter R from an ARBY’S sign. Letter has been wired to a transformer stand and is in excellent working condition. Letter measures approx. 21.5 inches tall X 9 inches wide X 4.5 inches deep. Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions

Arby’s was founded in Boardman, Ohio in 1964 by Forrest and Leroy Raffel, owners of a restaurant equipment business who believed there was a market opportunity for a fast food franchise based on a food other than hamburgers. The brothers wanted to call their restaurants “Big Tex,” but that name was being used by an Akron business. Instead, they chose the name “Arby’s,” based on R.B., the initials of Raffel Brothers (and the initials for “Roast Beef”).[7]

The Raffel brothers opened the first new restaurant in Boardman, Ohio, just outside of Youngstown, on July 23, 1964. They initially served only roast beef sandwiches, potato chips and drinks. A year later, the first Arby’s licensee opened a restaurant in Akron, Ohio. The famous Arby’s “hat” was designed by the original signmakers, Peskin Sign Co.[8] (it continues to make signs for Wendy’s/Arby’s Group). Expansion to other states began in 1968, beginning in Pittsburgh (the closest large out-of-state market to Youngstown) and Detroit. The restaurants were initially designed to be more upscale than their hamburger competitors.

During the 1970s, the expansion of Arby’s took place at a rate of 50 stores per year. During this time it created several menu items, including the Beef ‘n Cheddar, jamocha shakes, curly fries and two signature sauces: Arby’s BBQ sauce and horsey sauce. By 1981 it added chicken along with opening store number 1,000. It became the first restaurant in the fast food industry to offer a complete “lite” menu in 1991 with several sandwiches and salads under 300 calories and ninety four percent fat free.

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