On a day when the nation was honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., about 400 people gathered on the South Side to celebrate the re-opening of the first Blackowned McDonald’s restaurant.
The restaurant, located at 6560 S. Stony Island Ave., is a reminder of just how diversified the McDonald’s Corp. has become since its first Black-owned franchise store was purchased in December 1968 by Herman Petty.
When this store was purchased it became the 29th McDonald’s store and went on to do very well in sales each year,” said William Whitman, senior director of communications and public affairs for Oak Brook-based McDonald’s Corp.
“And now there are 305 Black owners that make up 1,266 franchise stores that register $2.4 billion in sales annually.” When Petty retired he sold the Stony Island store to Yolanda Travis in October 2006.
Travis, who also owns three other locations - 740 E. 47th St., 5220 S. Lake Park Ave. and 1951 E. 95th St. - said she plans to give away $100,000 in college scholarships to needy students living in the Woodlawn community where the re-opened restaurant is located. “This community has always supported us.
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