View source for Jack Fulk

{{short description|American businessman (1932–2011)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Jack Fulk
| image       =
| imagesize   =
| caption     =
| birthname   = Jack Zimmerman Fulk
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1932|11|30}}
| birth_place = [[Davidson County, North Carolina]]
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2011|03|30|1932|11|30}}
| death_place = [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]
| occupation  = Businessman
| yearsactive =
| spouse      =
}}
'''Jack Z. Fulk''' (November 30, 1932 – March 30, 2011) was an American businessman who co-founded the [[Bojangles (restaurant)|Bojangles]] fast food restaurant chain in 1977 in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]].<ref name=herald>{{cite news|first=Ely|last=Portillo|title=Co-founder of Bojangles' dies at 78|url=http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/04/03/2958513/co-founder-of-bojangles-dies-at.html|work=[[The Herald (Rock Hill)|The Herald]]|date=April 3, 2011|access-date=8 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406165637/http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/04/03/2958513/co-founder-of-bojangles-dies-at.html|archive-date=April 6, 2011}}</ref><ref name=chob>{{cite news|first=Ely|last=Portillo|title=Bojangles' co-founder Jack Fulk dies at 78|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/04/02/2190542/bojangles-co-founder-jack-fulk.html|work=[[Charlotte Observer]]|date=April 2, 2011|access-date=8 April 2011}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Life==
Fulk was born to Charles and Lucille Hunter Fulk in [[Davidson County, North Carolina]], on November 30, 1932.
Fulk initially operated a [[Hardee's]] [[Franchising|franchise]] in [[Wilkesboro, North Carolina]].<ref name=herald/> While still working with Hardee's, Fulk began experimenting with recipes for [[Biscuit (bread)|biscuits]] during the mid-1970s.<ref name=herald/><ref name=mh/> In 1977, Fulk and his [[business partner]], Richard Thomas, opened a chicken restaurant that became the first [[Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits]] on West Boulevard in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]].<ref name=herald/><ref name=mh>{{cite news |title=Co-founder of Bojangles' restaurants dies |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/02/2147215/co-founder-of-bojangles-restaurants.html |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[The Miami Herald]] |date=April 2, 2011 |access-date=8 April 2011}}</ref> The first restaurant was a walk-in with no seating,<ref name=chob/> but it specialized in chicken that was spicier than its competitors.<ref name=mh/> Fulk also added his biscuits to the restaurant's menu, which increased sales approximately 60%.<ref name=mh/> Fulk and Thomas opened a second Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits in 1978.<ref name=mh/>
Fulk retired from Bojangles in 1985, when the chain had reached 350 locations (there were more than 500 locations in eleven states, as of 2011).<ref name=mh/> He eventually sold his stake in Bojangles, but continued to operate a franchise in [[Jonesville, North Carolina]].<ref name=herald/>
Fulk died on March 30, 2011, at the age of 78.<ref name=herald/>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Find a Grave}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fulk, Jack}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:Fast-food chain founders]]
[[Category:American food industry businesspeople]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Charlotte, North Carolina]]
[[Category:People from Davidson County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]