Entrepreneur. At age 18, he sold his car to open a one-man doughnut shop and had ten successful years in the doughnut business. Inspired by Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, he used his doughnut profits to open the restaurant, Chicken on the Run in New Orleans, in 1971. He founded Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits in 1976, began franchising his restaurant chain and by 1987, his company was the third largest fast food chicken chain in America. In March 1989, he purchased Church's Chicken, combined the companies operating the two chains in over 2,000 locations, national and world wide. By the 1990s, Al Copeland Enterprises had over $400 million in debts and he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to save the company. Although Copeland lost Popeye's due to the bankruptcy, he retained the rights to the manufacture of Popeye's products. He also founded Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro, Cajun Fire and Ice Restaurants and Al's Diversified Food & Seasonings, a line of specialty foods and spices for large national restaurant chains. He died of cancer.
Entrepreneur. At age 18, he sold his car to open a one-man doughnut shop and had ten successful years in the doughnut business. Inspired by Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, he used his doughnut profits to open the restaurant, Chicken on the Run in New Orleans, in 1971. He founded Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits in 1976, began franchising his restaurant chain and by 1987, his company was the third largest fast food chicken chain in America. In March 1989, he purchased Church's Chicken, combined the companies operating the two chains in over 2,000 locations, national and world wide. By the 1990s, Al Copeland Enterprises had over $400 million in debts and he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to save the company. Although Copeland lost Popeye's due to the bankruptcy, he retained the rights to the manufacture of Popeye's products. He also founded Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro, Cajun Fire and Ice Restaurants and Al's Diversified Food & Seasonings, a line of specialty foods and spices for large national restaurant chains. He died of cancer.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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Al Copeland
February 2, 1944 – March 23, 2008
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