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P_Logo.jpg
Welcome to the Paschal Brothers Home Page.
For over 50 Years Paschals’ Motor Hotel and Restaurant was the epitome of
Southern Hospitality in
Paschals’ Motor Hotel and Restaurant was
sold in 1996 to the
Paschal's History
It has been said that businesses are the
lifeblood of a community. That saying applies to those enterprises that are
owned and operated by people living‑in the community in which they do
business. Community‑based businesses benefit from a special reciprocal
arrangement that evolves and is required for their success. This special
arrangement is forged with commitment and the development of trust. It requires
that these businesses and their owners participate in the economic, social, and
political fabric of the community. There are few businesses today in our
communities that fit this lofty credo.
James and
Robert Paschal exemplify this rare breed of community-based entrepreneurs.
Since 1947, they have touched the lives of many citizens and established a
living legacy in the
James Paschal
A born
entrepreneur, James Paschal built and opened his first business, a shoeshine
stand, when he was thirteen years old. He also ran a paper route and sold
beauty products on weekends. James set a goal to buy a "bigger
business". When he was fifteen years old, he used money he had saved to
purchase the assets and take over the operations of a failed grocery store
across the street from his school. He opened the store every morning before
school, and entrusted it to his mother while he attended classes. James
returned to work in his store each day after school. Seeing how successful the
store had become, the original owners decided to re‑claim the site by
taking advantage of the fact that no lease was signed with the original
purchase. Undaunted and with a valuable lesson learned, James convinced a local
funeral director to help him open a combination meat market, grocery store and
entertainment center with arcade machines and a "juke box" called
James Place. This new venture, with its unique and inventive blend of products
and services, quickly attained success and became a popular meeting place. It
had to be sold in its fourth year when James was summoned to serve in the
military. James was discharged in 1943. He then worked for two years with the Pullman
Company before forming a partnership with his brother Robert. That partnership
became Paschal's first food operation.
Robert
Paschal
"I
love to work", was a favorite phrase of Robert Paschal. His ceaseless
dedication reflected his philosophy that "no matter how well a task is
done, it can be done better". Robert came to Atlanta from Thomson,
Georgia, on a visit when he was fifteen years old. He started working as a bus
boy at Vaughn's Cafeteria, and eventually became the Executive Chef. It was while
working as a chef that Robert found his passion. But, not feeling secure that
he could earn a decent wage as a chef, Robert took a job setting up fountain
operations for Jacobs Pharmacies. He was responsible for training staff and
supervising fountain operations until they were operating efficiently and
effectively, before moving on to another location. Robert held this position
for twenty‑one years, accumulating valuable experience he would later use
working with his brother James.
The kitchen
is where Robert loved to be. Many times James would convince Robert to take a
vacation he had planned for him only to find Robert had returned early to get
back to work in his kitchen. Robert Paschal passed away on February 27, 1997
1940
In February
1947, Paschal's opened a 30‑seat luncheonette at 837 West Hunter, across
the street from its present location. James and Robert started selling
sandwiches and sodas. As business grew, they expanded the menu and began
serving hot lunches. There was no stove at that location and the brothers did
not own a car, so hot food was prepared at Robert's home and delivered by taxi.
Later, when
the decision was made to serve dinner, it was also decided that fried chicken
would be the specialty of the house. The brothers wanted Paschal's to serve the
"best" fried chicken in the city. With that mandate, Robert created
his secret recipe for Paschal's Fried Chicken. Paschal's Fried Chicken is still
considered by many to be among the best served, and Robert’s recipe is still a
secret.
1950 – 1960
Having
outgrown their facilities at 837 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (formerly
In 1959,
Paschal's Restaurant & Coffee Shop opened in its new location. The new
facilities sat 9o in the coffee shop and up to 125 in the main dining room.
This initial expansion was financed with a $75,000 loan from Citizens Trust
Bank working with the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. This was one of the
largest loans made by the Bank at that time.
Soon after
moving to their new location, the brothers started a catering service. The
success of this new venture was made evident with the confirmation of an order
for more than 5,000 fried chicken dinners soon after opening.
In December
1960, La Carousel Lounge opened. It was considered
In 1965,
the brothers began acquiring property adjacent to the restaurant to build the
Paschal's Motor Hotel. Citizens Trust Bank and the Atlanta Life Insurance
Company again agreed to finance construction of the ambitious new hotel with a
multi‑million dollar loan. The loan decision was based largely on the
record of growth and sound management the brothers had established. This loan
was among the largest made by the bank at that time.
During
construction, the brothers convinced the bank to increase the loan amount to
build two additional floors.
Paschal's
Motor Hotel was being built while several other significant hospitality
projects were under development in
Paschal's
Motor Hotel opened in March 1967. The lavish new hotel featured 120 guest rooms,
meeting and banquet facilities, and a swimming pool.
Throughout
the 1960's, the Paschal brothers were actively involved in the civil rights
movement. Paschal's was an important meeting place for key civil rights leaders
and strategists, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his aids.
James and
Robert Paschal would often post bond for arrested protestors. They would also
serve complimentary meals and extend their hours to provide a central location
where parents and friends could greet their loved ones after being released
from jail.
In a tense
racial climate, Paschal's was a place where blacks and whites were welcome to
meet and come to terms.
1970‑1980
Maynard Jackson
served two terms as Mayor of Atlanta, from 1974‑82 and from 1990‑94.
Mayor Jackson challenged the status quo by mandating that 30% of all revenue at
the proposed new airport go to qualified Disadvantaged Business
In 1978,
the city requested bids for retail concessions development and management at
the new
Mayor
Jackson's insistence on equal opportunities was a first and proved that
qualified and well‑managed minority businesses could compete on par with
the highest expectations.
Hartsfield
1990 – 2000
The 1990's brought
many significant changes. In 1996, the year the Centennial Olympic Games was
held in Atlanta, Paschal's Motor Hotel was sold to the Atlanta University
Center and re‑named the Paschal's Center.
The famous
hotel is now a dormitory facility for students.
In 1995,
when the original contract expired at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport,
Paschal's entered into a joint venture relationship with Concessions
International, Inc., to form Con cessions/Paschal's, J.V. This new joint
venture won a contract to provide food and beverage services as one of two
prime operators at the Airport. Concessions International, Inc. is owned by
Herman J. Russell; founder of the H.J. Russell Construction Company.
Concessions/Paschal's,
J.V. currently operates two Paschal's restaurant locations in
For more
than 50 years James and Robert Paschal worked 17‑hour days, 7 days a week
to grow their business.
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