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Leaving the Sheep Behind: Marriott Hits It Big

Article Overview: In 1937, Marriott’s Hot Shoppe No. 8 became the home of his next innovation. Since it was located near an airport, Marriott noticed that airline passengers would often stop off to his store and buy lunch to eat on board. With that came Marriott’s idea to sell pre-boxed meals directly to airlines. It was the launch of an entire new industry, and Marriott was soon selling lunches to more than 20 flights a day from that one airport.

Leaving the Sheep Behind: Marriott Hits It Big

In 1937, Marriott’s Hot Shoppe No. 8 became the home of his next innovation. Since it was located near an airport, Marriott noticed that airline passengers would often stop off to his store and buy lunch to eat on board. With that came Marriott’s idea to sell pre-boxed meals directly to airlines. It was the launch of an entire new industry, and Marriott was soon selling lunches to more than 20 flights a day from that one airport.

By the time war came in the 1940s, Marriott had 24 Hot Shoppes across the U.S., but business began to suffer. With revenues dropping, Marriott began a new career, that of managing cafeterias in war-production factories. When the war finished, business at the Hot Shoppes picked up once again. By 1953, Marriott had over 56 restaurants and 30 million customers a year.

With 30 years of business behind him, Marriott could have packed things up and lived a happy life of retirement. Instead, he decided to take the biggest risk of his career. He opened a motel, the $7 million and 370-bed Twin Bridges, near the airport in Washington. He made the decision based on the predictions of airline experts who said airline travel was on the rise. Marriott figured a motor hotel would represent “the logical extension of Hot Shoppes’ traditional concern for the American family on wheels,” he said.

By 1963, Marriott was feeling the effects of his four decade-long career, and work was beginning to take its toll. But his business was still his passion, and instead of giving it up altogether, he decided to keep it in the family. He nominated his son, Bill Jr., to take his shoes as president, although Marriott himself would remain on as CEO.

Over the next few years, Marriott witnessed the ever expanding reaches of his company. In 1968, Marriott Corp. was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In the same year, the company, under his son’s leadership, purchased the Big Boy chain of restaurants. It kept on expanding from there, launching Sun Line Cruise Ships and Marriott World Travel. With a price tag of $250 million, Marriott Corp. also opened three Great America theme parks.

In 1972, Marriott stepped down as CEO of the company he had founded decades ago. The company, however, continued to flourish, especially expanding its hotel business. Unable to fully divest himself of the business, Marriott remained chairman of the board.

On August 13, 1985, Marriott died of heart failure. It was a heart that was put to good use over the years, as Marriott worked hard to build a company he could be proud of. By the time he passed away, his company was serving food to over 150 airlines, and his entire revenues exceeded $4.5 billion. By 1999, Marriott International had become the 13th largest employer in the U.S, as well as the second-largest lodging company in the world. The Marriott name continues to reign as a leader in the world of business.

Related Articles
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  From Sheep and Sodas to Success: How Marriott Became a Name We Know
  From Sheep to Sodas: The Early Years of J. Willard Marriott
  Lesson #5: “Success seems to be connected to action.”
  Lesson #3: “No person can get very far in life working 40 hours a week.”

Article Tags: 1940s, airline passengers, airline travel, airport marriott, cafeterias, happy life, launch, logical extension, marriott, marriott corp, marriotts, motor hotel, new york stock, new york stock exchange, production factories, time war, traditional concern, twin bridges, war production, york stock exchange



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