Arby's original headquarters' 'family' reunites tonight downtown

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Arby’s headquarters’ employees were like a family.

Thursday night the family came together again to reunite and in celebration of a 50-year-old brand that started right here in the Valley.

“The essence of our company was Youngstown,” said Leroy Raffel, one of the founding brothers of the global chain.

Raffel and 150 guests, many his former employees, gathered for the Youngstown Arby’s corporate office employees’ reunion sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. A panel discussion took place at 7 p.m. at the Tyler History Center with Raffel; Thomas Welsh, historian and author of “Classic Restaurants of Youngstown”; and Dr. Donna DeBlasio, professor of history at Youngstown State University.

“I never made a roast beef sandwich,” Raffel said in the panel discussion.

He didn’t because his brother Forrest was the food guy. Prior to starting their restaurant, the Raffel brothers ran a food service layout business.

To add to their business, they decided to start a roast beef restaurant.

When Leroy told his wife about the new business venture she said, “I wouldn’t cross the street for a roast beef sandwich.”

Read more about how the company in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.