Crawford Ker

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Crawford Ker was an All-American at the University of Florida, then an American football guard in the National Football League for six years with the Dallas Cowboys and one year with the Denver Broncos. He is founder and CEO of Ker's WingHouse Bar & Grill.

Youth

Crawford Francis Ker was born May 5, 1962 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the only son of George and Anne Ker. His father George immigrated to the United States from Scotland, and was a former Buckingham Palace guard. When Crawford was young, George worked two or three jobs to pay for the family's ranch house in Dunedin, running a lawn service during the day and working at a 7-11 at night. After school, weekends and summers, Crawford worked with his father, cutting grass. In the mid-1970s George managed the kitchen at Capogna's Dugout, a sports restaurant in Clearwater where Crawford bused tables while in high school. During school semester breaks and vacations, he also waited tables and cooked in the kitchen.

During his junior year in high school, Crawford made the decision to become a professional football player. Ker had not played high school football, but he purchased a Kmart weight set and started working out. After starting high school at 145 pounds, he built himself up to 210. According to Crawford's mother, Anne:

"It's hard to believe. He was a skinny kid. I mean, he got a ribbon for the high jump. Other guys were worried about girls, he was in the gym working out. I think Crawford went into football in order to make things easier for his dad. It was a means to an end."

Crawford didn't love football, but he was certain he could make the money he wanted as a player. Crawford stated, "I made myself into a football player." During his senior year, Ker played very well, and Dunedin won a county championship, but no big schools recruited him. Crawford graduated from Dunedin High School in 1980, but didn't want to attend a small college; he wanted to play at a big school to improve his chances of being drafted in the NFL. He worked and worked out during the first year after graduation, adding another 50 pounds to his 6'4" frame. On the advice of a friend, he called the coach at Arizona Western College who invited him to Yuma. George Ker purchased his son a one-way airline ticket. Crawford played at Arizona Western for two years and was a JUCO All-American. The Gators were convinced of his talent and offered a scholarship for his junior and senior years.

College football

He played two years of college football for the University of Florida and was on the Gator's 1984 team that at the time was considered the finest Gator squad ever. The offensive line was called, "The Great Wall of Florida" and included Ker, Jeff Zimmerman, Phil Bromley, Billy Hinson and Lomas Brown. The team finished with a 9-1-1 record and won their first Southeastern Conference title. Unfortunately, the title was rescinded due to NCAA violations. He was arguably the strongest player in college football, a 283-pound All-American offensive lineman nicknamed, "Big Daddy" who bench-pressed 515 pounds.

Professional football

Ker was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round in 1985, the 76th pick overall, and became their highest-paid offensive lineman. Ker was a solid starter from 1986-1990, and like many professional athletes, suffered injuries that required surgery during the off-season, particularly his back. He fell out of favor with coach Jimmy Johnson after Coach Tom Landry retired and left via free agency in 1991. Ker signed with the Denver Broncos, but was placed on the Injured reserve list during the pre-season and stayed in Denver just one year. He retired before the 1992 season began.

Business

Gainesville

Ker's first attempt at the restaurant business was a failure. Near the end of his playing career, he purchased part ownership in the "Frat House", a Gainesville restaurant. It went out of business and he lost his entire investment. During an interview, Crawford was asked how his management style had changed:

"The difference was that I was never involved. I let other people do my work for me. No one is going to do the work as vibrantly as you will. I was an absentee owner of a restaurant when I played for Denver. What it taught me was that you’ve got to be on top of it. No one’s going to manage your bank account like yourself."

Largo

Retired from the NFL after 5 back surgeries at age 30, Ker took a job selling Chevrolets at a local car dealer. He moved back in with his parents, but decided he was backsliding and needed to change. In 1994, he purchased half interest in a Largo wing restaurant called, "Knockers" that imitated Hooters. This time, he wasn't an absentee owner, but Ker's business partner handled the management. After losing $30,000 a month for the first quarter, Crawford was certain he could do a better job, so he bought out his partner and handled the day-to-day operations, learning as he went along. The restaurant was re-opened as Ker's WingHouse, and the atmosphere was toned down to make it more family friendly.

File:KersWingHouse.PNG

WingHouse logo

The restaurant did well and two additional locations were opened in the Tampa Bay area in the following three years.

Lawsuit

In 1997, Ker was approached by a Hooters executive who warned him there were too many similarities between the two chains. Ker discussed this with his lawyer, and WingHouse changed the waitresses' uniforms from white tank tops and red shorts to all black, and modified the advertising. There was no subsequent communication from Hooters, so Crawford and his lawyer assumed the issue was resolved.

From mid-2001 to 2003, five WingHouses were opened in the Orlando/Daytona area. Hooters of America, Inc. filed suit against those five new restaurants, claiming they aggressively copied the Hooter's formula during expansion outside the Tampa Bay area. According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times:

"Hooters said it was motivated to take action against Wing-House's Orlando/Daytona stores because it was concerned Ker would use the stores as a launchpad for more expansion. Another irritant: The new WingHouses were going gangbusters."

Ker won a $1.2-million jury award from Hooters in late 2004, which had sued him for trademark violations for allegedly using their uniforms and decor. After a three-week trial in which lawyers discussed hula hoops, surfboards, scrunchy socks, pantyhose and something called "vicarious sexual recreation", the jury ruled that no trademark infringement existed and Hooters was penalized for their frivilous lawsuit.

Expansion

As of 2006, the company had 1,700 employees at 16 locations with revenue of nearly $60 million. Ker attended and the company participated in the 2007 National Buffalo Wing Festival and placed first in the traditional x-hot sauce category and gained some national recognition.

Franchising

On June 4, 2008 the company announced the launch of its' national franchise program. In mid-2008 the chain operated 19 locations in Florida and Texas and expected to add six franchises by the end of 2008, and 48 by 2011. The initial focus was for franchises in the Southeastern US.

WingHouses offer several amenities that differ from other wing restaurants, including Hooters. A full liquor bar is in every store; sports memorabilia lines the walls instead of NASCAR; most locations include a game room.

WingHouse offers a franchise support program that uses football jargon. New owners and their managers attend "training camp"; experienced franchise operations managers are called "coaches" when they help evaluate the efficiency and performance of a store; the system is based on the T.E.A.M. concept (Together Everyone Achieves More).

Personal

Crawford and his wife, Melissa were married in 1998. They have 2 girls and make their home in Largo, Florida. Crawford loved, respected and admired his father, George. The lowest point in Crawford's life came in 1999 when his father died. Melissa said Crawford mourned his father for a very long time, but like his father, he did what he had to do. His mother, Anne, still lives in the house Crawford purchased for his parents in 1998 after becoming a professional football player.

External links

• Ker's Winghouse