Junior Bridgeman

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2016/04/20/junior-bridgeman-shedding-restaurants-signs-major.html?ana=e_lou_bn_breakingnews&u=2114447694eb924b10cab7d33707d&t=1461181418&j=72526172

This is awful news for so many local people. Just awful. Don't know if he would leave Louisville. It would be awful for the city. Just stunned.

Ellen

[Robin Garr]

Junior has had an amazing career, and he's hardly elderly. Who knows what lies ahead.

The story isn't clear, though, whether he's shedding all his eateries or just the franchise chains. He likes being the mind behind Napa River Grill, I'm pretty sure.

I heard he was becoming an independent Coca Cola distributor. Not really sure what's so awful about this, though.

I heard he was becoming an independent Coca Cola distributor. Not really sure what's so awful about this, though.

Well being an independent Coca-Cola distributor really isn't cutting edge or something that people are going to be clamoring to buy! Or should I say we buy any more of than they do today. Hopefully he will still keep his hands in some new restaurant development and is just getting out of the chain restaurant business.

A lot of local jobs involved. Wendy's, Chili's, Mark's Feed Store, Napa, the new restaurant on 4th Street Live. Probably more. New owners can mean bringing in new people; closing restaurants. His community involvement. He bought a candy company based in the midwest and now he has bought into the bottling company out there. Hope he doesn't leave.

My guess is that his other son will be deeply involved in the "divestment" of Jr's fast food establishments.....I can't imagine that he would totally walk away from everything that he worked so hard to build.

There is a great story about Junior after he retired from basketball. Someone saw him working the line at a Wendy's and they said
"Poor Junior, He must have blown all his money. He has to work at a Wendy's......