San Clemente City Magazine Summer/Fall 2015 | Page 18
Biggie’s
Burgers
OWNER HELPS VETS GET AND RUN THEIR OWN BURGER OUTLET
by Bill Koelzer
ir Force veteran Richard Brown, owner of Biggie’s
Great Burgers & Shakes on South El Camino Real
near Ralph’s Grocery, loves both his work and
helping other military veterans get ahead in life.
In 2014, the Orange County Register named
him one of the year’s 100 “Most Influential Persons” in the
county. Why? Because with over 50 years’ experience,
Richard got out there and started a new program that
makes it easy for veterans to own, and effectively run, their
OWN virtual clone of his highly successful and profitable local Biggie’s Burgers—anywhere in the country,
This new great opportunity comes through Sunrise Warriors, which trains the veterans to mimic the clock-work
precision Brown has perfected over a lifetime of innovation in the business. After thoroughly training here locally
at Biggie’s Boot Camp and in a live environment, the new
VBOs (Veteran Business Owners) take those skills back
to their home towns and open their doors with the help of
Sunrise’s opening crew. Sunrise Warriors walks the newbie
through every operational aspect of their new business,
from financing through personnel, promotion, equipment,
selecting materials, food sources, customer/community
relations and more.
Richard Brown’s background in the restaurant industry is
extensive. As a youth, he worked at his dad’s restaurant in
Oakland. “That’s all I ever wanted to do was have my own
restaurant” Richard says. When he joined the Air Force,
Brown was the one in the dangerous back end of Boeing
KC-135 and Boeing Strato-tanker refueling planes as he
delicately directed the hose in the path of B52’s being aerially refueled.
In 1962, he opened the first Taco Bell and began building
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his food service skills, being TB’s fifth employee and owning
his own franchise unit in Westminster. He became a Taco
Bell Operations Manager; then, after 20 years, retired, took
it easy and went sailing, but missed the action.
Brown says, “Military men and women have learned leadership skills and the ability to follow specific directions every
Richard & Judi Brown