Page 71 - Wayne County

Ranch and was ready to step away. “I saw an opportunity,” says Brenda. “I was scared, but I wanted to try it. Mr. Eddie said he’d help me. I was looking for a career, not just a job.” In 1994, Brenda bought the Dairy Ranch from her father-in-law. They had worked out a plan that would allow Brenda to assume responsibility of the restaurant over a six-month period. “When he saw I was getting the hang of it, he started backing away. He had owned it for 20 years. He knew what to do,” states Brenda.

She knew things would be different when she became the owner. But even she was surprised at the challenges she faced. Brenda had always put in a great deal of hours, but now the workload was almost overwhelming – no days off, doing two or three things in the restaurant at one time while managing

the day-to-day operations, handling employee issues and still looking after her own household. “It wasn’t that bad on the kids. My youngest kids were in high school so they could take care of themselves. But being down there every day for 12-16 hours a day was tough,” she says. Speaking of Brenda’s kids – Billy Jr., 40; Carey, 35; and Dustin, 33 – they got off easy. None of the trio spent much time working at the Dairy Ranch, and neither did her husband, Billy. These days, Billy, a former welder, is retired and has time to help with the business, mainly running errands. “My kids didn’t work there. Moreover, Billy has never taken an order in his life. Just Mama worked there,” laughs Brenda.

In a time of extra value meals, indoor playgrounds and food cooked before you order, the Dairy Ranch is indeed a

As the new owner of the Dairy Ranch, Brenda faced many challenges: long hours, a sometimes overwhelming workload, and no days off – all while managing her own household.