History
In 1929, Gerald Boyles opened a licensed Kewpee location on North Division Avenue in Grand Rapids. Gerald developed two secret recipes for a burger dressing and onion ring batter. In 1963, Gerald's son, John Boyles and his cousin, Dick Faber, purchased Gerald's Kewpee business and renamed it Mr. Fables (Fab+les). In 1988, Boyles and Faber sold the chain including licensing for the secret recipes (provided that they remain secret) to Colonel Chicken, Inc., incorporated by Donald W. Reynolds (later Fables-Innkeepers Management, Inc. then Grand Rapids Innkeepers Management, Inc.). Faber and Boyles hoped the new owner would grow the chain.
Mr. Fables fell victim to the national chains in the late 1990s. While the Fables stores occupied many of the premium real estate locations throughout Grand Rapids, they were sold off piece by piece. Some of those locations were purchased by New Beginnings Family Restaurants. Mr. Fables was one of the original tenants of the Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids and of the Westshore Mall in Holland. In addition to Grand Rapids and Holland, Mr. Fables also operated locations in Grand Haven, Muskegon, Big Rapids, and Benton Harbor over its many decades in business.
The last Mr. Fables closed in 2000.
Read more about this topic: Mr Fables
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