The Start of Something Friendly

Founder Larry Kane was in Alliance, Ohio, one day, when he looked up and saw a Friendly's restaurant boarded up. When he arrived home that evening, he announced to his wife, Terri, that he mage a purchase that day.

Terri Kane laughs as she remembers the conversation. "I was thinking, a new pair of shoes or something, and then he tells me it was a piece of commercial property," she smiles, "but seriously, we really had been looking at different businesses and pieces of property for quite awhile. Larry said he just knew when he saw it that it would be a great site for a gasoline station and convenience store."

"The Friendly's literally has been boarded up that very morning," explains Larry Kane. "I knew it was the perfect spot."

"I've worked in this community for a number of years and built a lot of good relationships," notes Kane. "It also helps that we've hired a great management team that is friendly and responsive. I didn't just hire people off the street. I went out and found the people that I wanted. Take our assistant store manager for example. She worked at Staples and had been especially helpful to me there, and she was happy to come work for us."

Terri Kane, who handles the accounting side of the business, echoes her husband's sentiments. "Our staff is wonderful and they have great ideas." "They are always getting customer feedback and using what they hear to make the store even better. We never could have gotten where we are today without our managers, assistant managers, employees, and family support.