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After forty-seven years with McDonald’s, Larry Partridge is retiring! I do believe he deserves a break today!!! Larry has worked with McDonald’s since age 16.
Thursday, November 30, 2017, papers will be signed selling “Larry and Dorothy’s McDonald’s” to new owners from the Hattiesburg area.
“Dorothy always said, I would know when the time was right…and I do know the time is right,” stated Larry.
Larry, Dorothy, and I visited last week and discussed the climb through McDonald’s. Larry began working the counter at McDonald’s while in school in Mobile. At that time, only guys were allowed to work at McDonald’s! (can you imagine!)
Hamburgers were 15 cents. No “large” size of anything was sold. No breakfast was available. “McDonald’s was mainly known for shakes during my early days…and I was known as the “shake man,” shared Larry.
At age 17, Larry became a manager at 21 the store manager. As the oldest of seven children, Larry’s income was needed to assist the family and pay for college. Larry hired Dorothy when she was 19 years old. Once the romance blossomed, Dorothy had to leave McDonald’s because employees could not date one another. Well, that didn’t stop their love, they just got married and as Dorothy said “started having babies!” Larry and Dorothy have been married for 43 years.
As Larry worked up the McDonald’s management chain, the opportunity to lease a store in Forest, MS became a reality. Although Larry and Dorothy had looked at other franchise opportunities within the McDonald’s system, nothing seemed a fit until the Forest McDonald’s.
In 1992, Larry and Dorothy moved to Forest. Can you imagine the shock when these two Mobile (big city) kids ended up in Scott County/Forest! While at Forest, the Magee store became available for purchase. The Partridges decided they were ready to put their life savings into the Magee store and purchased the store in November 1994.
After traveling back and forth to Forest for a few years, Larry and Dorothy sold the Forest store and concentrated solely on the Magee store.
Everyone knows the success of the Magee’s McDonald’s, which in my opinion was not only the fantastic location, but smart business people (Larry and Dorothy) who knew how to manage a fast food restaurant.
Of course, in 2009, a lot of people thought the Partridges had lost their mind when they tore down and rebuilt the Magee store. Again, Larry Partridge is a smart business man. He knew exactly what he was doing! The store closed on December 31, 2009 and reopened 100 days later on April 15, 2010 featuring a double drive-thru line that amazed everyone…especially because it worked!!!
McDonald’s in Magee employees 75 people, 40 of those 75 are full time employees. Store hours are 5 AM-11PM weekdays and 5AM-1AM weekends.
I had to ask what is their favorite McDonald’s food! Larry answered quickly for both! “A big Mac for me and a McDorothy for Dorothy.” “What is a McDorothy,” I asked? Larry laughed and explained, “a McDorothy is a double cheese burger with lettuce and tomato, and mayo.” You can have it your way!
McDonald’s launched in 1955. The Golden Arches have been a sign of McDonald’s since 1960. Here’s another interesting thing I learned…and not from Larry and Dorothy. When the store was demolished in 2009, the original Golden Arches sign was not replaced because under Magee city code, a new sign would have been much “shorter.” The old sign was “grandfathered-in” at the present size! Again, just another “sign” of Larry’s business wisdom!
In 1974, McDonald’s launched the ad campaign, “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion, on a sesame seed bun” which is exactly what is on a Big Mac
The Partridge have been involved in the community through church, mission trips, business organizations, chamber, sponsorship of city and school programs, as well as working hand in hand with Simpson County Job Corp. Larry teaches a class weekly at the center. Dorothy and I are very good friends! She is an original “Bonco Babes!” A devoted member of the Ollie Mayhall BYW of the First Baptist Church of Magee serving as the life time secretary/treasurer and an active member of Overflow Church. Dorothy is right there with Larry on mission trips. They are supportive of their family in all their endeavors…from their artist son to a daughter-in-law who decorates the Governor’s Mansion for Christmas to Kevin and Carrie’s adopting two brothers from Colombia. Their 8 grandchildren adore coming to Magee to the grandparent’s home! Dorothy and Larry entertain to the highest (as Suzanne Grubbs would say). Just a few weeks ago, Larry and Dorothy decided to pitch tents in the front yard and camp out…complete with a campfire. The pool games are famous for fun. An invitation to Larry and Dorothy’s always means fun!
“What ya gonna do now?” I asked the two.
With one son and family in Ocean Springs and one son and family in Ridgeland, I think odds are the Partridges will be on the road. Larry explained they will be on the road! They intend to do a lot of traveling. “When I want to fly my plane, I can fly my plane…when I want to go on a mission trip, I can go on a mission trip…when I want to visit my children, I can visit my children,” laughed Larry.
“Magee has been good to us. We have always tried to give back and I believe God has a place for us,” explained Larry.
(Members of the Partridge family: Larry and Dorothy; Kevin, Carrie, Callie, Caleb, Carlos, Katie, and Brandon; Jerrod, Jessie, Ren, Mae, and Elliot…as Dorothy says…and a Partridge in a Pear tree!)
Best wishes to the Partridges.
I’m lovin’it
