Testament to a man with a vision, drive and unending work ethic that are the key to success in life.
Albert Ryo Okura, the founder of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain and a major figure in the fast-food industry, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 27 at the age of 71.
Juan Pollo issued the following statement: "Albert was an entrepreneur characterized by his unwavering work ethic, resolute determination, and passion. He believed that it was his destiny to personally sell more chicken than anyone in the world.
"His journey started in 1984, where he opened the first Juan Pollo in Ontario, Calif. Even through widespread doubt of his success through his peers, he set a personal deadline of five years to demonstrate, to himself, that he would succeed regardless of the challenges. Following a tumultuous first year in business, his unwavering drive to succeed resulted in a steady increase in sales year after year.
"Decades later, he would grow the company to now having 25 locations across the Inland Empire, Orange and L.A. County. He took great pride in being a hands-on proprietor, dedicating himself to working in the store on a daily basis, seven days a week and throughout the year. Throughout the 40 years of running the business, there are only a handful of days that he did not work including all major holidays and even his own birthday.
"After quick calculations, he proclaimed that he has personally cooked over 2 million chickens and believed that he cooked more chicken than anyone in the world.
"As Albert continued to grow his restaurant business over the years, he was also actively engaged in philanthropic efforts within local communities. In 1998, he acquired the location of the first original McDonald's in San Bernardino, where he later established a museum to commemorate the early history of McDonald's. He was inspired by Ray Kroc and aimed to emulate his success in building one of the largest franchise systems in history.
"In 2005, he purchased the ghost-town of Amboy, Calif. Popularized in the '50s and '60s, Roy's Motel & Café is now one of the most popular destinations to visit along Route 66. When asked why he purchased the town, 'Who do you know that owns a town?' he boldly declared. 'When opportunities arise, you have to jump and never look back.'
"Regardless of whether he was occupied with running his restaurants, renovating his museum and town, composing his autobiography, or participating in community parades, he always believed there was more to do. With no time to waste, he was on a mission to achieve as much as he could in his lifetime. With every opportunity, he looked back and could not believe how far he had come and the people he met along the way. To many, he was more than a hard-working leader. He was a mentor, friend and father figure.
"When he was asked why he sacrificed so much to strive for his dreams, he proclaimed with a smile — 'It is my destiny.'"
Roy's Motel & Café posted, "Mr. Okura's son, Kyle, shared in his father's passion for Amboy & Roy's Motel & Cafe. In the past few years Amboy has grown under the guidance and dedication of Kyle himself and he will continue building on his father's vision for Amboy.
"We have the utmost faith in Kyle and his family, and we know Mr. Okura's dedication, tenacity and passion will continue through them. Thank you for all the kind words, condolences, love and prayers for the Okura family."
Colton City Councilmember John Echevarria posted, "On behalf of a grateful community, I want to express my personal sympathy to the family of my dear friend, Mr Albert Okura of Juan Pollo … Over the years, he gave so much to the community, including the famous McDonald's Museum, which draws thousands of tourists annually.
"He was always willing to give many local at-risk youth a fresh opportunity with a good job. We will be forever grateful for his numerous contributions to the entire Inland Empire."
Cartoonist Phil Yeh posted, "Yesterday … we got the tragic news that our friend Albert Okura passed away.Albert owns the site of the original McDonald's in San Bernardino and is the reason that we have painted these murals on the building for the last decade.
"When I first met Albert in 2011, he told me that he used to read comic books and that his favorite artists were Jack Kirby and Sergio Aragones. When I told him that I knew Jack and Sergio was a good friend of mine, he immediately said I could paint whatever I wanted on the building. It's been over a decade and in my wildest dreams, I could not believe that we are still adding stuff to this mural and now retouching the south wall.
"Albert founded Juan Pollo and also owns the town of Amboy on Route 66 but he will always be remembered by me as a real patron of the arts. My prayers are with his family and all the people he touched in this life."
Mark Landis, a columnist for The San Bernardino Sun, recalled, "Okura loved to share his story … Albert became a walking encyclopedia of fast-food history, which has deep roots in San Bernardino.
"I'll never forget the night Albert came to speak at the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society, and word got out there would be free Juan Pollo chicken at the event! The hall was packed to standing room only, and Albert's famous rotisserie chicken put a delicious finishing touch on his fascinating talk.
"When the Camp Cajon Monument was reconstructed on a small strip of Route 66 in the Cajon Pass in 2019, I asked Albert if he would cater the July 4th dedication event, and he eagerly agreed. Albert brought chicken and fixings, plus a full complement of servers, an eclectic group of Route 66 aficionados, and even a few vintage vehicles to enhance the nostalgic theme of the event.
"The last time I saw Albert was at the re-lighting of the Roy's Café sign in Amboy, on Nov. 16, 2019. He was flitting about like a proud father, watching his son Kyle officiate the ceremony. Kyle managed the re-lighting project, and when the switch was thrown for the iconic neon sign shortly after sunset, it buzzed to life amid the hoots and cheers of hundreds of Route 66 fans.
"Albert will be missed dearly by his family and friends, and Route 66 fans will forever be in his debt for preserving a beloved piece of the Mother Road."
In 2014, Okura published his autobiography, "Albert Okura: The Chicken Man with a 50-Year Plan." An overview of the book: "At a growth rate of baby chick to full adult in less than two months, chickens are one of the fastest-growing food sources known to man. It seems that chickens were put on Earth to supply the world's population with eggs and meat. This book tells the story of Albert Okura's belief that his destiny in life is to sell more chickens than anyone else in the world.
"Although sounding preposterous at first glance, it needs to be noted that Colonel Sanders did not sell his first franchise until he was 60 years old. Albert was born in 1951 and grew up with the fledgling fast-food industry. His first full-time job was working at Burger King as a hamburger cook. Recognizing that mental toughness as well as the ability to train, develop, and motivate others was critical for long-term success, Albert gravitated to those who inspired him. Lessons learned from life experiences helped him realize his destiny.
"In 1984, at the age of 32, Albert opened a rotisserie chicken restaurant with help from his uncle. Albert has become Southern California's foremost expert on mass-producing tender and moist rotisserie chickens. Juan Pollo is now poised to go into the big time. This is their story."
Okura is survived by his wife, Sella; three children, Kyle, Aaron and Chloe; sisters, Amy (Ray) Pong and Susan (Andy) Hoffman; nephew, Dillon (Ombie) Hoffman; and niece, Sara Hoffman.
Memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m. at Skyrose Chapel, Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier. Directions from Gate 1: Drive past the information booth and follow the white painted curb line to the top of the hill. Turn left just past the chapel. Parking is on the left.
Rafu Reports Febuary 4, 2023
_______________________________________________________________________
California Chicken Roaster Aimed for Global Dominance
Albert Okura, who has died at 71, founded Juan Pollo restaurants and bought a ghost town on Route 66
Mr. Okura founded the Juan Pollo rotisserie-chicken chain in 1984. It now has 25 locations, all of them in Southern California. To KFC and other giant rivals, Juan Pollo is little more than a few crumbs on the counter. Yet Mr. Okura stood out as a marketer.
In 1998, he bought the site of the original McDonald's restaurant, in San Bernardino, Calif., and turned it into a museum. He wanted Juan Pollo to be known as a preserver of fast-food history.
Seven years later, he bought the ghost town of Amboy, Calif., a former Mojave Desert pit stop on Route 66, for $425,000. "How many people can say they own a whole town?" he asked a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. He hoped his efforts to restore Amboy would yield goodwill for his chicken business.
He crowned beauty queens as Miss Juan Pollos, perched them on chicken-themed vehicles and paraded them down main streets.
Mr. Okura died Jan. 27 at a hospital in Ontario, Calif., where he was being treated for various ailments. He was 71.
Though he wasn't No. 1 in sales, Mr. Okura estimated that he had personally cooked more than two million chickens. He was pretty sure no one could top that.
Albert Ryo Okura, the second of four children, was born Dec. 3, 1951, and grew up in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. His father, who had been a star baseball player, worked for the postal service and as a gardener and handyman.
Young Albert was a self-described TV addict and compulsive collector of baseball cards and comic books. His mother had other ideas, he wrote in a 2014 memoir, "The Chicken Man." When he was about 9, she marched him to a local newspaper office and arranged for him to deliver papers. It was her way of teaching responsibility.
She also gave him two classic self-help books, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.
In high school, he wrote, "because I was Asian-American, everyone assumed I was college material." His mother wanted him to become a dentist; he figured he wasn't smart enough.
Instead, he enrolled at a junior college, where his studies left enough time to fry hamburgers for Burger King. He later dropped out of college to pursue a career as a manager of fast-food restaurants. "My compulsive behavior started to work in my favor," he wrote. "I spent hour after hour of unpaid extra work learning the trade."
Burger King rewarded him with assignments to help manage restaurant openings, a job that required him to lead inexperienced crews struggling to keep up with orders from first-day crowds. "I learned to pace myself, not to panic, and stay calm in the face of hundreds of customers," Mr. Okura recalled.
After a few years, he looked for new challenges: "I didn't want to be 50 years old and tell people that I worked for Burger King."
He tried managing a golf course and then buying and renovating rental housing. Neither job suited him, so he went back to fast food and managed Del Taco restaurants. When he discovered the El Pollo Loco chain, he thought he could take a good idea and make it better.
"I knew deep inside that chickens would be my destiny," he wrote.
He decided to open his own chicken restaurant, Juan Pollo, and traveled to Mexico to see how chicken was cooked there. One of his early colleagues, Armando Parra, came up with a marinade for Juan Pollo chicken.
In the early days, Mr. Okura lived in a trailer parked a few steps away from his first restaurant. He often worked from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. as he strove to master rotisserie cooking and infuse employees with his own fanatical devotion to quality. He rarely traveled for leisure. When he did, he wanted to try the local chicken.
A rave review in a San Bernardino newspaper—"This chicken will wing its way into your heart"—helped Juan Pollo attain regional renown. So did Mr. Okura's customized vehicles surmounted with plastic chickens or cartoon characters touting his chicken. He drove those to run errands. He even used them to deliver his mortified children to high school.
Mr. Okura is survived by his wife, Gisella Okura, and three children. His sons, Kyle Okura and Aaron Okura, now manage Juan Pollo. Kyle also operates a gas station with a convenience store and souvenir shop in Amboy.
In 2014, Mr. Okura told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin that he needed more capital, more sophisticated cooking technology and "someone smarter than me" to expand Juan Pollo beyond Southern California. He wasn't thinking short-term. He was still working on the business plan he drafted in 1992. It called for him to be the world's No. 1 chicken seller by 2050.
Wall Street Journal
February 22, 2023∼Entrepreneur and founder of the Juan Pollo rotisserie chicken chain and owner of the town of Amboy, California. He also owned the original McDonald's that brgan in San Bernardino, California and turned it into his office as well as establishing a McDonald's Museum.
Albert Ryo Okura, the founder of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain and a major figure in the fast-food industry, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 27 at the age of 71.
Juan Pollo issued the following statement: "Albert was an entrepreneur characterized by his unwavering work ethic, resolute determination, and passion. He believed that it was his destiny to personally sell more chicken than anyone in the world.
"His journey started in 1984, where he opened the first Juan Pollo in Ontario, Calif. Even through widespread doubt of his success through his peers, he set a personal deadline of five years to demonstrate, to himself, that he would succeed regardless of the challenges. Following a tumultuous first year in business, his unwavering drive to succeed resulted in a steady increase in sales year after year.
"Decades later, he would grow the company to now having 25 locations across the Inland Empire, Orange and L.A. County. He took great pride in being a hands-on proprietor, dedicating himself to working in the store on a daily basis, seven days a week and throughout the year. Throughout the 40 years of running the business, there are only a handful of days that he did not work including all major holidays and even his own birthday.
"After quick calculations, he proclaimed that he has personally cooked over 2 million chickens and believed that he cooked more chicken than anyone in the world.
"As Albert continued to grow his restaurant business over the years, he was also actively engaged in philanthropic efforts within local communities. In 1998, he acquired the location of the first original McDonald's in San Bernardino, where he later established a museum to commemorate the early history of McDonald's. He was inspired by Ray Kroc and aimed to emulate his success in building one of the largest franchise systems in history.
"In 2005, he purchased the ghost-town of Amboy, Calif. Popularized in the '50s and '60s, Roy's Motel & Café is now one of the most popular destinations to visit along Route 66. When asked why he purchased the town, 'Who do you know that owns a town?' he boldly declared. 'When opportunities arise, you have to jump and never look back.'
"Regardless of whether he was occupied with running his restaurants, renovating his museum and town, composing his autobiography, or participating in community parades, he always believed there was more to do. With no time to waste, he was on a mission to achieve as much as he could in his lifetime. With every opportunity, he looked back and could not believe how far he had come and the people he met along the way. To many, he was more than a hard-working leader. He was a mentor, friend and father figure.
"When he was asked why he sacrificed so much to strive for his dreams, he proclaimed with a smile — 'It is my destiny.'"
Roy's Motel & Café posted, "Mr. Okura's son, Kyle, shared in his father's passion for Amboy & Roy's Motel & Cafe. In the past few years Amboy has grown under the guidance and dedication of Kyle himself and he will continue building on his father's vision for Amboy.
"We have the utmost faith in Kyle and his family, and we know Mr. Okura's dedication, tenacity and passion will continue through them. Thank you for all the kind words, condolences, love and prayers for the Okura family."
Colton City Councilmember John Echevarria posted, "On behalf of a grateful community, I want to express my personal sympathy to the family of my dear friend, Mr Albert Okura of Juan Pollo … Over the years, he gave so much to the community, including the famous McDonald's Museum, which draws thousands of tourists annually.
"He was always willing to give many local at-risk youth a fresh opportunity with a good job. We will be forever grateful for his numerous contributions to the entire Inland Empire."
Cartoonist Phil Yeh posted, "Yesterday … we got the tragic news that our friend Albert Okura passed away.Albert owns the site of the original McDonald's in San Bernardino and is the reason that we have painted these murals on the building for the last decade.
"When I first met Albert in 2011, he told me that he used to read comic books and that his favorite artists were Jack Kirby and Sergio Aragones. When I told him that I knew Jack and Sergio was a good friend of mine, he immediately said I could paint whatever I wanted on the building. It's been over a decade and in my wildest dreams, I could not believe that we are still adding stuff to this mural and now retouching the south wall.
"Albert founded Juan Pollo and also owns the town of Amboy on Route 66 but he will always be remembered by me as a real patron of the arts. My prayers are with his family and all the people he touched in this life."
Mark Landis, a columnist for The San Bernardino Sun, recalled, "Okura loved to share his story … Albert became a walking encyclopedia of fast-food history, which has deep roots in San Bernardino.
"I'll never forget the night Albert came to speak at the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society, and word got out there would be free Juan Pollo chicken at the event! The hall was packed to standing room only, and Albert's famous rotisserie chicken put a delicious finishing touch on his fascinating talk.
"When the Camp Cajon Monument was reconstructed on a small strip of Route 66 in the Cajon Pass in 2019, I asked Albert if he would cater the July 4th dedication event, and he eagerly agreed. Albert brought chicken and fixings, plus a full complement of servers, an eclectic group of Route 66 aficionados, and even a few vintage vehicles to enhance the nostalgic theme of the event.
"The last time I saw Albert was at the re-lighting of the Roy's Café sign in Amboy, on Nov. 16, 2019. He was flitting about like a proud father, watching his son Kyle officiate the ceremony. Kyle managed the re-lighting project, and when the switch was thrown for the iconic neon sign shortly after sunset, it buzzed to life amid the hoots and cheers of hundreds of Route 66 fans.
"Albert will be missed dearly by his family and friends, and Route 66 fans will forever be in his debt for preserving a beloved piece of the Mother Road."
In 2014, Okura published his autobiography, "Albert Okura: The Chicken Man with a 50-Year Plan." An overview of the book: "At a growth rate of baby chick to full adult in less than two months, chickens are one of the fastest-growing food sources known to man. It seems that chickens were put on Earth to supply the world's population with eggs and meat. This book tells the story of Albert Okura's belief that his destiny in life is to sell more chickens than anyone else in the world.
"Although sounding preposterous at first glance, it needs to be noted that Colonel Sanders did not sell his first franchise until he was 60 years old. Albert was born in 1951 and grew up with the fledgling fast-food industry. His first full-time job was working at Burger King as a hamburger cook. Recognizing that mental toughness as well as the ability to train, develop, and motivate others was critical for long-term success, Albert gravitated to those who inspired him. Lessons learned from life experiences helped him realize his destiny.
"In 1984, at the age of 32, Albert opened a rotisserie chicken restaurant with help from his uncle. Albert has become Southern California's foremost expert on mass-producing tender and moist rotisserie chickens. Juan Pollo is now poised to go into the big time. This is their story."
Okura is survived by his wife, Sella; three children, Kyle, Aaron and Chloe; sisters, Amy (Ray) Pong and Susan (Andy) Hoffman; nephew, Dillon (Ombie) Hoffman; and niece, Sara Hoffman.
Memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m. at Skyrose Chapel, Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier. Directions from Gate 1: Drive past the information booth and follow the white painted curb line to the top of the hill. Turn left just past the chapel. Parking is on the left.
Rafu Reports Febuary 4, 2023
_______________________________________________________________________
California Chicken Roaster Aimed for Global Dominance
Albert Okura, who has died at 71, founded Juan Pollo restaurants and bought a ghost town on Route 66
Mr. Okura founded the Juan Pollo rotisserie-chicken chain in 1984. It now has 25 locations, all of them in Southern California. To KFC and other giant rivals, Juan Pollo is little more than a few crumbs on the counter. Yet Mr. Okura stood out as a marketer.
In 1998, he bought the site of the original McDonald's restaurant, in San Bernardino, Calif., and turned it into a museum. He wanted Juan Pollo to be known as a preserver of fast-food history.
Seven years later, he bought the ghost town of Amboy, Calif., a former Mojave Desert pit stop on Route 66, for $425,000. "How many people can say they own a whole town?" he asked a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. He hoped his efforts to restore Amboy would yield goodwill for his chicken business.
He crowned beauty queens as Miss Juan Pollos, perched them on chicken-themed vehicles and paraded them down main streets.
Mr. Okura died Jan. 27 at a hospital in Ontario, Calif., where he was being treated for various ailments. He was 71.
Though he wasn't No. 1 in sales, Mr. Okura estimated that he had personally cooked more than two million chickens. He was pretty sure no one could top that.
Albert Ryo Okura, the second of four children, was born Dec. 3, 1951, and grew up in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. His father, who had been a star baseball player, worked for the postal service and as a gardener and handyman.
Young Albert was a self-described TV addict and compulsive collector of baseball cards and comic books. His mother had other ideas, he wrote in a 2014 memoir, "The Chicken Man." When he was about 9, she marched him to a local newspaper office and arranged for him to deliver papers. It was her way of teaching responsibility.
She also gave him two classic self-help books, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.
In high school, he wrote, "because I was Asian-American, everyone assumed I was college material." His mother wanted him to become a dentist; he figured he wasn't smart enough.
Instead, he enrolled at a junior college, where his studies left enough time to fry hamburgers for Burger King. He later dropped out of college to pursue a career as a manager of fast-food restaurants. "My compulsive behavior started to work in my favor," he wrote. "I spent hour after hour of unpaid extra work learning the trade."
Burger King rewarded him with assignments to help manage restaurant openings, a job that required him to lead inexperienced crews struggling to keep up with orders from first-day crowds. "I learned to pace myself, not to panic, and stay calm in the face of hundreds of customers," Mr. Okura recalled.
After a few years, he looked for new challenges: "I didn't want to be 50 years old and tell people that I worked for Burger King."
He tried managing a golf course and then buying and renovating rental housing. Neither job suited him, so he went back to fast food and managed Del Taco restaurants. When he discovered the El Pollo Loco chain, he thought he could take a good idea and make it better.
"I knew deep inside that chickens would be my destiny," he wrote.
He decided to open his own chicken restaurant, Juan Pollo, and traveled to Mexico to see how chicken was cooked there. One of his early colleagues, Armando Parra, came up with a marinade for Juan Pollo chicken.
In the early days, Mr. Okura lived in a trailer parked a few steps away from his first restaurant. He often worked from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. as he strove to master rotisserie cooking and infuse employees with his own fanatical devotion to quality. He rarely traveled for leisure. When he did, he wanted to try the local chicken.
A rave review in a San Bernardino newspaper—"This chicken will wing its way into your heart"—helped Juan Pollo attain regional renown. So did Mr. Okura's customized vehicles surmounted with plastic chickens or cartoon characters touting his chicken. He drove those to run errands. He even used them to deliver his mortified children to high school.
Mr. Okura is survived by his wife, Gisella Okura, and three children. His sons, Kyle Okura and Aaron Okura, now manage Juan Pollo. Kyle also operates a gas station with a convenience store and souvenir shop in Amboy.
In 2014, Mr. Okura told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin that he needed more capital, more sophisticated cooking technology and "someone smarter than me" to expand Juan Pollo beyond Southern California. He wasn't thinking short-term. He was still working on the business plan he drafted in 1992. It called for him to be the world's No. 1 chicken seller by 2050.
Wall Street Journal
February 22, 2023∼Entrepreneur and founder of the Juan Pollo rotisserie chicken chain and owner of the town of Amboy, California. He also owned the original McDonald's that brgan in San Bernardino, California and turned it into his office as well as establishing a McDonald's Museum.
Testament to a man with a vision, drive and unending work ethic that are the key to success in life.
Albert Ryo Okura, the founder of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain and a major figure in the fast-food industry, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 27 at the age of 71.
Juan Pollo issued the following statement: "Albert was an entrepreneur characterized by his unwavering work ethic, resolute determination, and passion. He believed that it was his destiny to personally sell more chicken than anyone in the world.
"His journey started in 1984, where he opened the first Juan Pollo in Ontario, Calif. Even through widespread doubt of his success through his peers, he set a personal deadline of five years to demonstrate, to himself, that he would succeed regardless of the challenges. Following a tumultuous first year in business, his unwavering drive to succeed resulted in a steady increase in sales year after year.
"Decades later, he would grow the company to now having 25 locations across the Inland Empire, Orange and L.A. County. He took great pride in being a hands-on proprietor, dedicating himself to working in the store on a daily basis, seven days a week and throughout the year. Throughout the 40 years of running the business, there are only a handful of days that he did not work including all major holidays and even his own birthday.
"After quick calculations, he proclaimed that he has personally cooked over 2 million chickens and believed that he cooked more chicken than anyone in the world.
"As Albert continued to grow his restaurant business over the years, he was also actively engaged in philanthropic efforts within local communities. In 1998, he acquired the location of the first original McDonald's in San Bernardino, where he later established a museum to commemorate the early history of McDonald's. He was inspired by Ray Kroc and aimed to emulate his success in building one of the largest franchise systems in history.
"In 2005, he purchased the ghost-town of Amboy, Calif. Popularized in the '50s and '60s, Roy's Motel & Café is now one of the most popular destinations to visit along Route 66. When asked why he purchased the town, 'Who do you know that owns a town?' he boldly declared. 'When opportunities arise, you have to jump and never look back.'
"Regardless of whether he was occupied with running his restaurants, renovating his museum and town, composing his autobiography, or participating in community parades, he always believed there was more to do. With no time to waste, he was on a mission to achieve as much as he could in his lifetime. With every opportunity, he looked back and could not believe how far he had come and the people he met along the way. To many, he was more than a hard-working leader. He was a mentor, friend and father figure.
"When he was asked why he sacrificed so much to strive for his dreams, he proclaimed with a smile — 'It is my destiny.'"
Roy's Motel & Café posted, "Mr. Okura's son, Kyle, shared in his father's passion for Amboy & Roy's Motel & Cafe. In the past few years Amboy has grown under the guidance and dedication of Kyle himself and he will continue building on his father's vision for Amboy.
"We have the utmost faith in Kyle and his family, and we know Mr. Okura's dedication, tenacity and passion will continue through them. Thank you for all the kind words, condolences, love and prayers for the Okura family."
Colton City Councilmember John Echevarria posted, "On behalf of a grateful community, I want to express my personal sympathy to the family of my dear friend, Mr Albert Okura of Juan Pollo … Over the years, he gave so much to the community, including the famous McDonald's Museum, which draws thousands of tourists annually.
"He was always willing to give many local at-risk youth a fresh opportunity with a good job. We will be forever grateful for his numerous contributions to the entire Inland Empire."
Cartoonist Phil Yeh posted, "Yesterday … we got the tragic news that our friend Albert Okura passed away.Albert owns the site of the original McDonald's in San Bernardino and is the reason that we have painted these murals on the building for the last decade.
"When I first met Albert in 2011, he told me that he used to read comic books and that his favorite artists were Jack Kirby and Sergio Aragones. When I told him that I knew Jack and Sergio was a good friend of mine, he immediately said I could paint whatever I wanted on the building. It's been over a decade and in my wildest dreams, I could not believe that we are still adding stuff to this mural and now retouching the south wall.
"Albert founded Juan Pollo and also owns the town of Amboy on Route 66 but he will always be remembered by me as a real patron of the arts. My prayers are with his family and all the people he touched in this life."
Mark Landis, a columnist for The San Bernardino Sun, recalled, "Okura loved to share his story … Albert became a walking encyclopedia of fast-food history, which has deep roots in San Bernardino.
"I'll never forget the night Albert came to speak at the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society, and word got out there would be free Juan Pollo chicken at the event! The hall was packed to standing room only, and Albert's famous rotisserie chicken put a delicious finishing touch on his fascinating talk.
"When the Camp Cajon Monument was reconstructed on a small strip of Route 66 in the Cajon Pass in 2019, I asked Albert if he would cater the July 4th dedication event, and he eagerly agreed. Albert brought chicken and fixings, plus a full complement of servers, an eclectic group of Route 66 aficionados, and even a few vintage vehicles to enhance the nostalgic theme of the event.
"The last time I saw Albert was at the re-lighting of the Roy's Café sign in Amboy, on Nov. 16, 2019. He was flitting about like a proud father, watching his son Kyle officiate the ceremony. Kyle managed the re-lighting project, and when the switch was thrown for the iconic neon sign shortly after sunset, it buzzed to life amid the hoots and cheers of hundreds of Route 66 fans.
"Albert will be missed dearly by his family and friends, and Route 66 fans will forever be in his debt for preserving a beloved piece of the Mother Road."
In 2014, Okura published his autobiography, "Albert Okura: The Chicken Man with a 50-Year Plan." An overview of the book: "At a growth rate of baby chick to full adult in less than two months, chickens are one of the fastest-growing food sources known to man. It seems that chickens were put on Earth to supply the world's population with eggs and meat. This book tells the story of Albert Okura's belief that his destiny in life is to sell more chickens than anyone else in the world.
"Although sounding preposterous at first glance, it needs to be noted that Colonel Sanders did not sell his first franchise until he was 60 years old. Albert was born in 1951 and grew up with the fledgling fast-food industry. His first full-time job was working at Burger King as a hamburger cook. Recognizing that mental toughness as well as the ability to train, develop, and motivate others was critical for long-term success, Albert gravitated to those who inspired him. Lessons learned from life experiences helped him realize his destiny.
"In 1984, at the age of 32, Albert opened a rotisserie chicken restaurant with help from his uncle. Albert has become Southern California's foremost expert on mass-producing tender and moist rotisserie chickens. Juan Pollo is now poised to go into the big time. This is their story."
Okura is survived by his wife, Sella; three children, Kyle, Aaron and Chloe; sisters, Amy (Ray) Pong and Susan (Andy) Hoffman; nephew, Dillon (Ombie) Hoffman; and niece, Sara Hoffman.
Memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m. at Skyrose Chapel, Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier. Directions from Gate 1: Drive past the information booth and follow the white painted curb line to the top of the hill. Turn left just past the chapel. Parking is on the left.
Rafu Reports Febuary 4, 2023
_______________________________________________________________________
California Chicken Roaster Aimed for Global Dominance
Albert Okura, who has died at 71, founded Juan Pollo restaurants and bought a ghost town on Route 66
Mr. Okura founded the Juan Pollo rotisserie-chicken chain in 1984. It now has 25 locations, all of them in Southern California. To KFC and other giant rivals, Juan Pollo is little more than a few crumbs on the counter. Yet Mr. Okura stood out as a marketer.
In 1998, he bought the site of the original McDonald's restaurant, in San Bernardino, Calif., and turned it into a museum. He wanted Juan Pollo to be known as a preserver of fast-food history.
Seven years later, he bought the ghost town of Amboy, Calif., a former Mojave Desert pit stop on Route 66, for $425,000. "How many people can say they own a whole town?" he asked a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. He hoped his efforts to restore Amboy would yield goodwill for his chicken business.
He crowned beauty queens as Miss Juan Pollos, perched them on chicken-themed vehicles and paraded them down main streets.
Mr. Okura died Jan. 27 at a hospital in Ontario, Calif., where he was being treated for various ailments. He was 71.
Though he wasn't No. 1 in sales, Mr. Okura estimated that he had personally cooked more than two million chickens. He was pretty sure no one could top that.
Albert Ryo Okura, the second of four children, was born Dec. 3, 1951, and grew up in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. His father, who had been a star baseball player, worked for the postal service and as a gardener and handyman.
Young Albert was a self-described TV addict and compulsive collector of baseball cards and comic books. His mother had other ideas, he wrote in a 2014 memoir, "The Chicken Man." When he was about 9, she marched him to a local newspaper office and arranged for him to deliver papers. It was her way of teaching responsibility.
She also gave him two classic self-help books, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.
In high school, he wrote, "because I was Asian-American, everyone assumed I was college material." His mother wanted him to become a dentist; he figured he wasn't smart enough.
Instead, he enrolled at a junior college, where his studies left enough time to fry hamburgers for Burger King. He later dropped out of college to pursue a career as a manager of fast-food restaurants. "My compulsive behavior started to work in my favor," he wrote. "I spent hour after hour of unpaid extra work learning the trade."
Burger King rewarded him with assignments to help manage restaurant openings, a job that required him to lead inexperienced crews struggling to keep up with orders from first-day crowds. "I learned to pace myself, not to panic, and stay calm in the face of hundreds of customers," Mr. Okura recalled.
After a few years, he looked for new challenges: "I didn't want to be 50 years old and tell people that I worked for Burger King."
He tried managing a golf course and then buying and renovating rental housing. Neither job suited him, so he went back to fast food and managed Del Taco restaurants. When he discovered the El Pollo Loco chain, he thought he could take a good idea and make it better.
"I knew deep inside that chickens would be my destiny," he wrote.
He decided to open his own chicken restaurant, Juan Pollo, and traveled to Mexico to see how chicken was cooked there. One of his early colleagues, Armando Parra, came up with a marinade for Juan Pollo chicken.
In the early days, Mr. Okura lived in a trailer parked a few steps away from his first restaurant. He often worked from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. as he strove to master rotisserie cooking and infuse employees with his own fanatical devotion to quality. He rarely traveled for leisure. When he did, he wanted to try the local chicken.
A rave review in a San Bernardino newspaper—"This chicken will wing its way into your heart"—helped Juan Pollo attain regional renown. So did Mr. Okura's customized vehicles surmounted with plastic chickens or cartoon characters touting his chicken. He drove those to run errands. He even used them to deliver his mortified children to high school.
Mr. Okura is survived by his wife, Gisella Okura, and three children. His sons, Kyle Okura and Aaron Okura, now manage Juan Pollo. Kyle also operates a gas station with a convenience store and souvenir shop in Amboy.
In 2014, Mr. Okura told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin that he needed more capital, more sophisticated cooking technology and "someone smarter than me" to expand Juan Pollo beyond Southern California. He wasn't thinking short-term. He was still working on the business plan he drafted in 1992. It called for him to be the world's No. 1 chicken seller by 2050.
Wall Street Journal
February 22, 2023∼Entrepreneur and founder of the Juan Pollo rotisserie chicken chain and owner of the town of Amboy, California. He also owned the original McDonald's that brgan in San Bernardino, California and turned it into his office as well as establishing a McDonald's Museum.
Albert Ryo Okura, the founder of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain and a major figure in the fast-food industry, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 27 at the age of 71.
Juan Pollo issued the following statement: "Albert was an entrepreneur characterized by his unwavering work ethic, resolute determination, and passion. He believed that it was his destiny to personally sell more chicken than anyone in the world.
"His journey started in 1984, where he opened the first Juan Pollo in Ontario, Calif. Even through widespread doubt of his success through his peers, he set a personal deadline of five years to demonstrate, to himself, that he would succeed regardless of the challenges. Following a tumultuous first year in business, his unwavering drive to succeed resulted in a steady increase in sales year after year.
"Decades later, he would grow the company to now having 25 locations across the Inland Empire, Orange and L.A. County. He took great pride in being a hands-on proprietor, dedicating himself to working in the store on a daily basis, seven days a week and throughout the year. Throughout the 40 years of running the business, there are only a handful of days that he did not work including all major holidays and even his own birthday.
"After quick calculations, he proclaimed that he has personally cooked over 2 million chickens and believed that he cooked more chicken than anyone in the world.
"As Albert continued to grow his restaurant business over the years, he was also actively engaged in philanthropic efforts within local communities. In 1998, he acquired the location of the first original McDonald's in San Bernardino, where he later established a museum to commemorate the early history of McDonald's. He was inspired by Ray Kroc and aimed to emulate his success in building one of the largest franchise systems in history.
"In 2005, he purchased the ghost-town of Amboy, Calif. Popularized in the '50s and '60s, Roy's Motel & Café is now one of the most popular destinations to visit along Route 66. When asked why he purchased the town, 'Who do you know that owns a town?' he boldly declared. 'When opportunities arise, you have to jump and never look back.'
"Regardless of whether he was occupied with running his restaurants, renovating his museum and town, composing his autobiography, or participating in community parades, he always believed there was more to do. With no time to waste, he was on a mission to achieve as much as he could in his lifetime. With every opportunity, he looked back and could not believe how far he had come and the people he met along the way. To many, he was more than a hard-working leader. He was a mentor, friend and father figure.
"When he was asked why he sacrificed so much to strive for his dreams, he proclaimed with a smile — 'It is my destiny.'"
Roy's Motel & Café posted, "Mr. Okura's son, Kyle, shared in his father's passion for Amboy & Roy's Motel & Cafe. In the past few years Amboy has grown under the guidance and dedication of Kyle himself and he will continue building on his father's vision for Amboy.
"We have the utmost faith in Kyle and his family, and we know Mr. Okura's dedication, tenacity and passion will continue through them. Thank you for all the kind words, condolences, love and prayers for the Okura family."
Colton City Councilmember John Echevarria posted, "On behalf of a grateful community, I want to express my personal sympathy to the family of my dear friend, Mr Albert Okura of Juan Pollo … Over the years, he gave so much to the community, including the famous McDonald's Museum, which draws thousands of tourists annually.
"He was always willing to give many local at-risk youth a fresh opportunity with a good job. We will be forever grateful for his numerous contributions to the entire Inland Empire."
Cartoonist Phil Yeh posted, "Yesterday … we got the tragic news that our friend Albert Okura passed away.Albert owns the site of the original McDonald's in San Bernardino and is the reason that we have painted these murals on the building for the last decade.
"When I first met Albert in 2011, he told me that he used to read comic books and that his favorite artists were Jack Kirby and Sergio Aragones. When I told him that I knew Jack and Sergio was a good friend of mine, he immediately said I could paint whatever I wanted on the building. It's been over a decade and in my wildest dreams, I could not believe that we are still adding stuff to this mural and now retouching the south wall.
"Albert founded Juan Pollo and also owns the town of Amboy on Route 66 but he will always be remembered by me as a real patron of the arts. My prayers are with his family and all the people he touched in this life."
Mark Landis, a columnist for The San Bernardino Sun, recalled, "Okura loved to share his story … Albert became a walking encyclopedia of fast-food history, which has deep roots in San Bernardino.
"I'll never forget the night Albert came to speak at the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society, and word got out there would be free Juan Pollo chicken at the event! The hall was packed to standing room only, and Albert's famous rotisserie chicken put a delicious finishing touch on his fascinating talk.
"When the Camp Cajon Monument was reconstructed on a small strip of Route 66 in the Cajon Pass in 2019, I asked Albert if he would cater the July 4th dedication event, and he eagerly agreed. Albert brought chicken and fixings, plus a full complement of servers, an eclectic group of Route 66 aficionados, and even a few vintage vehicles to enhance the nostalgic theme of the event.
"The last time I saw Albert was at the re-lighting of the Roy's Café sign in Amboy, on Nov. 16, 2019. He was flitting about like a proud father, watching his son Kyle officiate the ceremony. Kyle managed the re-lighting project, and when the switch was thrown for the iconic neon sign shortly after sunset, it buzzed to life amid the hoots and cheers of hundreds of Route 66 fans.
"Albert will be missed dearly by his family and friends, and Route 66 fans will forever be in his debt for preserving a beloved piece of the Mother Road."
In 2014, Okura published his autobiography, "Albert Okura: The Chicken Man with a 50-Year Plan." An overview of the book: "At a growth rate of baby chick to full adult in less than two months, chickens are one of the fastest-growing food sources known to man. It seems that chickens were put on Earth to supply the world's population with eggs and meat. This book tells the story of Albert Okura's belief that his destiny in life is to sell more chickens than anyone else in the world.
"Although sounding preposterous at first glance, it needs to be noted that Colonel Sanders did not sell his first franchise until he was 60 years old. Albert was born in 1951 and grew up with the fledgling fast-food industry. His first full-time job was working at Burger King as a hamburger cook. Recognizing that mental toughness as well as the ability to train, develop, and motivate others was critical for long-term success, Albert gravitated to those who inspired him. Lessons learned from life experiences helped him realize his destiny.
"In 1984, at the age of 32, Albert opened a rotisserie chicken restaurant with help from his uncle. Albert has become Southern California's foremost expert on mass-producing tender and moist rotisserie chickens. Juan Pollo is now poised to go into the big time. This is their story."
Okura is survived by his wife, Sella; three children, Kyle, Aaron and Chloe; sisters, Amy (Ray) Pong and Susan (Andy) Hoffman; nephew, Dillon (Ombie) Hoffman; and niece, Sara Hoffman.
Memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m. at Skyrose Chapel, Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier. Directions from Gate 1: Drive past the information booth and follow the white painted curb line to the top of the hill. Turn left just past the chapel. Parking is on the left.
Rafu Reports Febuary 4, 2023
_______________________________________________________________________
California Chicken Roaster Aimed for Global Dominance
Albert Okura, who has died at 71, founded Juan Pollo restaurants and bought a ghost town on Route 66
Mr. Okura founded the Juan Pollo rotisserie-chicken chain in 1984. It now has 25 locations, all of them in Southern California. To KFC and other giant rivals, Juan Pollo is little more than a few crumbs on the counter. Yet Mr. Okura stood out as a marketer.
In 1998, he bought the site of the original McDonald's restaurant, in San Bernardino, Calif., and turned it into a museum. He wanted Juan Pollo to be known as a preserver of fast-food history.
Seven years later, he bought the ghost town of Amboy, Calif., a former Mojave Desert pit stop on Route 66, for $425,000. "How many people can say they own a whole town?" he asked a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. He hoped his efforts to restore Amboy would yield goodwill for his chicken business.
He crowned beauty queens as Miss Juan Pollos, perched them on chicken-themed vehicles and paraded them down main streets.
Mr. Okura died Jan. 27 at a hospital in Ontario, Calif., where he was being treated for various ailments. He was 71.
Though he wasn't No. 1 in sales, Mr. Okura estimated that he had personally cooked more than two million chickens. He was pretty sure no one could top that.
Albert Ryo Okura, the second of four children, was born Dec. 3, 1951, and grew up in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. His father, who had been a star baseball player, worked for the postal service and as a gardener and handyman.
Young Albert was a self-described TV addict and compulsive collector of baseball cards and comic books. His mother had other ideas, he wrote in a 2014 memoir, "The Chicken Man." When he was about 9, she marched him to a local newspaper office and arranged for him to deliver papers. It was her way of teaching responsibility.
She also gave him two classic self-help books, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.
In high school, he wrote, "because I was Asian-American, everyone assumed I was college material." His mother wanted him to become a dentist; he figured he wasn't smart enough.
Instead, he enrolled at a junior college, where his studies left enough time to fry hamburgers for Burger King. He later dropped out of college to pursue a career as a manager of fast-food restaurants. "My compulsive behavior started to work in my favor," he wrote. "I spent hour after hour of unpaid extra work learning the trade."
Burger King rewarded him with assignments to help manage restaurant openings, a job that required him to lead inexperienced crews struggling to keep up with orders from first-day crowds. "I learned to pace myself, not to panic, and stay calm in the face of hundreds of customers," Mr. Okura recalled.
After a few years, he looked for new challenges: "I didn't want to be 50 years old and tell people that I worked for Burger King."
He tried managing a golf course and then buying and renovating rental housing. Neither job suited him, so he went back to fast food and managed Del Taco restaurants. When he discovered the El Pollo Loco chain, he thought he could take a good idea and make it better.
"I knew deep inside that chickens would be my destiny," he wrote.
He decided to open his own chicken restaurant, Juan Pollo, and traveled to Mexico to see how chicken was cooked there. One of his early colleagues, Armando Parra, came up with a marinade for Juan Pollo chicken.
In the early days, Mr. Okura lived in a trailer parked a few steps away from his first restaurant. He often worked from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. as he strove to master rotisserie cooking and infuse employees with his own fanatical devotion to quality. He rarely traveled for leisure. When he did, he wanted to try the local chicken.
A rave review in a San Bernardino newspaper—"This chicken will wing its way into your heart"—helped Juan Pollo attain regional renown. So did Mr. Okura's customized vehicles surmounted with plastic chickens or cartoon characters touting his chicken. He drove those to run errands. He even used them to deliver his mortified children to high school.
Mr. Okura is survived by his wife, Gisella Okura, and three children. His sons, Kyle Okura and Aaron Okura, now manage Juan Pollo. Kyle also operates a gas station with a convenience store and souvenir shop in Amboy.
In 2014, Mr. Okura told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin that he needed more capital, more sophisticated cooking technology and "someone smarter than me" to expand Juan Pollo beyond Southern California. He wasn't thinking short-term. He was still working on the business plan he drafted in 1992. It called for him to be the world's No. 1 chicken seller by 2050.
Wall Street Journal
February 22, 2023∼Entrepreneur and founder of the Juan Pollo rotisserie chicken chain and owner of the town of Amboy, California. He also owned the original McDonald's that brgan in San Bernardino, California and turned it into his office as well as establishing a McDonald's Museum.
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