Randy Linss
Contributing Reporter
In our last segment, we looked at the Rigby family's musical interests.
This time, we'll look at the family's successful entrepreneurial ventures in the world of restaurant operations.
For this segment, we'll focus largely on Robert Sr., his wife Marjorie, and their fifth son, Bradley.
Robert's inspiration for his successful entry into the business came from his earlier time traveling Kansas and Nebraska as a sales representative for W.W. Grainger, an industrial supply company. Life on the road puts one in direct contact with the experience of eating in a wide variety of restaurants.
Robert found it increasingly difficult to find good restaurants.
As he saw it, most restaurateurs operated on the philosophy of giving the customer the least amount of food they could while making a handsome profit.
He felt this was exactly the opposite of the way it should be looked at. His motto became, giving the customer as much food as you could, while still being able to make a profit.
It was in his first restaurant in Omaha, Rigby's Steakhouse, that he reaped the benefits of this philosophy. It was always in the back of his mind that the smorgasbord concept was an untapped market at the time. This thought stayed with him, and ideas continues to formulate as time passed.
Back in Missouri, Robert had traveled through Benton County during his years over the road. He liked what he saw of the land and the people. So, after his days with W.W. Grainger ended, and he had cut his restaurant management teeth on Rigby's Steakhouse of Omaha, he began buying land near Lincoln.
The Rigbys soon owned three farms near Lincoln, which totaled approximately 700 acres. On one of these parcels, just south of town on 65 Highway, Robert opened a business that incorporated a variety of ideas. A large warehouse provided the space for his wholesale and salvage marketing ventures. In addition, he started a western wear, boots, tack, and saddle shop, then added gas pumps and an early-day convenience store was born.
After a time, a large part of these businesses were lost to a fire, after which the store closed. But this turned out to be only the beginning of the story as an opportunity to trade the 700 acres Robert owned for the Skelly truck stop on the east side of 65 Highway in town. A lot of men would have had to think long and hard before making such a commitment. But, in the early 1970's, Robert was quick to see the possibilities and saw this as the perfect opportunity to test his smorgasbord theory of successful restaurant operation.
At the same time, the Rigby family owned and operated the hickory chip factory in the old MFA Implement building. This venture was made successful largely due to the efforts of Marjorie. It would continue to operate in that manner after the restaurant opened inside the truck stop, which became known as the Rigby's Skelly Truck Stop for the next 12-15 years.
Marjorie was an extremely hard and dedicated worker, who played a large role in the ultimate success of both businesses. So successful had the hickory chip business become, that it no longer became possible to keep up with the demand for orders. Eventually, it was decided to cease operations, so all efforts could be focused on the restaurant, which grew into an extremely popular thriving destination for countless numbers of patrons across the region.
Eventually, time passed with the achieved success of the restaurant and truck stop business, until Robert and Marjorie were thinking of retiring to Florida. The business was sold to the Fred Beaman family, and the Rigby's headed for Florida.
The two youngest boys, Barry and Bradley, decided to go along to Florida.
Barry eventually became a successful lawyer in Orlando. Bradley had gotten involved with cooking and the business operation of things at the truck stop.
He was good at both and found he enjoyed both aspects of the business. So, he began training, first in the Cracker Barrel program, and later with Tony Roma's Legendary Grille.
It was at Tony Roma's that Bradley learned and perfected his art of preparing baby back ribs. In later years, Bradley would bring his love of business and the restaurant industry back to his hometown of Lincoln. Just south of his father's earlier ventures, he and his wife would open a hotel and restaurant, which they called Bradley's.
The restaurant was well-known for its fantastic steaks and baby back ribs.
After dinner, The restaurant turned into a lounge with some of the area's finest country music bands playing some of the most favorite dance tunes for patrons of all ages and from all around the region.
Bradley's became known as a preferred evening experience for several years until he chose to pursue other business interests. Sadly, The building which housed the restaurant now sits empty. But for those who enjoyed so many pleasant evenings there, it will always remain Bradley's, as they remember it in those happy evenings.
EPILOGUE:
Robert Rigby of Omaha, Nebraska married Marjorie Dalsin, a Canadian Catholic lady from a family in which she was one of six girls and six boys.
They were Blessed with six sons; Robert, Jr. (of whom we've spoken previously, currently residing in Grove, Oklahoma), Brian (who would become an auctioneer), Bruce (who was quite a basketball star at LHS and later went on to play for Kemper Military Academy in Boonville. He also became an excellent Marine pilot), Brent (nicknamed "Pinkie"), Bradley, and Barry (who would become a successful attorney who sees himself as quite the singer/songwriter in Orlando, Florida). Sadly, Bruce and Bradley have passed on.
Notables from the next generation of Rigbys are; Ben (Bradley's son), who owns a sound company in Nashville, whose clients include Country Music Singer/Songwriter, Eric Church; and Brennan (Brian's son), who is a cheerleader for the Tennessee Titans of the NFL.
The Rigby family has left quite a favorable mark on Benton County. Through their collective talents, efforts, and dedication, they have touched the lives of an uncountable number of people not only around the state but surely around the country.
