People: Louis Elias

LOUIS ELIAS: DEFINITELY A BIG BOY

You might say that Louis Elias, '38, is a 'big boy' in the restaurant business. He is president of Elias Brothers Restaurants, Inc., Warren, MI, the largest family-owned restaurant chain in the nation and perhaps the world. The company boasts more than 960 outlets and owns the worldwide franchise for Big Boy Restaurants. 'Altogether we employ about 20,000 people with $1 billion in annual sales,' notes Elias. 'We're also the concessionaires for the Pontiac Silverdome, the Michigan International Speedway and several other sports facilities.'

The company manages the Main Event, where executive vice president Bill Morgan, '53, Louis' brother-in-law recently hosted an MSU-Oakland County alumni function. Louis majored in geology at MSU, where he met his wife Esther. His only involvement with restaurants as a student was as a dishwasher in the summers. In 1941 Louis returned to Detroit after serving two years with the Navy and opened with brother Fred a 16-seat diner in Hazel Park called Dixie Drive-In. Four years later, a second one opened. In 1948, a third opened. Then, in 1952, Louis, Fred and brother John changed the diners to Elias Brothers Big Boy Restaurants-- featuring the double-decker hamburger, the Slim Jim, and the immortal chubby kid with a curl in his hair.

With success came public service. Louis served as mayor of Hazel Park from 1953-61 while donating his salary to charity. He is now known as a thoroughbred horse breeder and as a quiet philanthropist. In 1982 he was inducted into the Knights of Malta in Rome--the most exclusive philanthropic organization in the world.

'It's been exciting,' sums up Louis. 'We've been on a roller coaster like any other business. And there's still plenty of room to grow. There's great potential in Japan. We already have stores in Tokyo and Osaka. We just signed up Saudi Arabia. And we have agents looking at England.'