Little Rock native Wes Hall founded the iconic fast food chain Minute Man, which at its peak boasted 57 restaurants in Arkansas and seven surrounding states. Minute Man was a pioneer on the fast food landscape, and its legacy is plain to see in food franchises across the country.
(Find out more about the collection by visiting the finding aid online.)
Hall opened the first Minute Man restaurant at 407 Broadway in Little Rock on May 26, 1948, along with partners Oliver Harper, Walter Oathout, and Alton Barnett. The original Minute Man was a coffee shop with 24-hour service. In 1956, Hall bought out the other partners and converted the flagship store into a fast-food establishment. A historical marker was later placed at the site.
