El Dorado’s Minute Man No. 14, the last remaining restaurant of a storied fast food franchise founded in downtown Little Rock in 1948, has reportedly closed. The downtown El Dorado location, owned and operated by Linda McGoogan since 1984, has shut its doors. The closure was first reported by Arkansas food historian Kat Robinson on her Facebook page, and the phone to the restaurant has been disconnected. It is unclear at this time if the restaurant will be put up for sale or if someone will take over. Minute Man was known for its charcoal-grilled hamburgers, deep-dish fruit pies called Radar Pies, and the innovative “Magic Meal” for kids. The franchise had locations in Arkansas and surrounding states before declining in recent years. In an effort to revive the brand, a partnership between McGoogan and Perry J. Smith was formed in 2019, but the Jacksonville store that opened in 2020 has also closed. Minute Man was founded by Wes Hall in downtown Little Rock and was known for its innovative menu offerings and marketing strategies. Wes Hall passed away in 2002 at the age of 87. The closure of Minute Man No. 14 marks the end of an era for this historic fast food franchise.
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Photo credit arktimes.com
