Bojangles' Franchise owner looks forward to new venture in Boiling Springs

When Jeff Rigsby took his first job as a cook at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Columbus, Ohio, 39 years ago, he knew it could be the start of something big.
"Probably like most 16-year-olds, I looked for spending money," the Boiling Springs resident said. "Then I realized I like the restaurant business and the challenges."

Today he owns 49 Bojangles' restaurants in five states "" including the one on Highway 9 in Boiling Springs "" and last year he added two new brands to his portfolio: Donatos Pizza and Salsarita's Fresh Cantina.

He's planning to open Donatos, Salsarita's and his own brand-new gourmet burger restaurant in an 8,500-square-foot strip center between Hardee's and Heartland Animal Hospital on Highway 9 in Boiling Springs."We're hoping to get open between May 1 and May 15," he said.

Rigsby said he's worked hard to get where he is, never forgetting the ethics that brought him success."If you want people committed to your business, then you've got to be committed to them," he said. "We take care of those folks. It's a big compliment when you have people outside the restaurant say, 'You've got really good people.' That means a lot."His restaurants all give back to the community."You build that sense of loyalty, then everybody wins," he said. "It's a neat feeling. It goes around to schools, churches, nonprofits. We take that seriously. We feel managers and employees feel a sense of pride."

The 1,400 employees are treated like family, he said, and get good insurance benefits plus 401(k) savings plans.Kelly Barbrey, manager of the Boiling Springs Bojangles', said it's Rigsby's treatment of employees that makes her want to stay around for a long time."He's a good man," she said. "He puts his pants on the same way we do. He doesn't act any different. He gets in and works."Rigsby, who is married with three sons and three grandsons, spent 15 years working with Kentucky Fried Chicken. In 1988 he moved to Greenville to become area manager for KFC, then in 1994 his supervisors bought out the Bojangles' brand out of Charlotte.He joined them, and became area Bojangles' manager for Greenville and Spartanburg.

Having always wanted to be an entrepreneur, Rigsby, then regional director of operations, let Bojangles' know he wanted to be a franchisee.

Bojangles' Ranks #98 on the Franchise 500 list 2017.

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