Ansara family has a true 
immigrant success story.

the best of everything
Raskin

From
Big Boy to 
Red Robin

S

uccess stories that pertain 
to immigrants arriving in 
the United States to make 
a new life for themselves will 
never die.
When they 
came to this 
country from 
Lebanon in 1951, 
brothers George 
and Andrew 
Ansara couldn’
t 
speak any 
English, which is 
an immediate shoulder-shrug-
ger in itself … Especially when 
they wanted to go into business 
and banks wouldn’
t give them a 
second look.
It took 10 years, but they 
finally opened their first restau-
rant in 1961, a Garden City Big 
Boy … and the family-operated 
and owned operation steadily 
grew … Nine-year-old Lew 
Ansara was its dishwasher in the 
Big Boy owned by dad, George, 
uncle Andrew and great-uncles 

Louis and Victor … Lou went 
to Lawrence Tech, also became 
its sports writer and a Big Boy 
manager for them in the early 
1970s … Cousin Victor grad-
uated from Detroit College of 
Law and University of Michigan 
- Dearborn, cooking and help-
ing wherever needed at Big Boy 
while attending school.
Today, the family has numer-
ous Big Boy franchises … Red 
Robin is a national chain that 
originated in Seattle … George 
went to one in Scottsdale, 
Arizona, and was 
so impressed he 
had to take Lew 
there … It revved 
up a lot of inter-
est and was the 
beginning of a 
major franchise in 
the Michigan market … One of 
them is off the road to Cosco in 
Commerce Crossing, others are 
in Novi, Brighton, Livonia, Troy 
and Ford Road, Detroit.

Best seller is its Gourmet 
Burger … but the family sees to 
that same quality with chicken 
sandwiches, pastas, steaks, ice 
cream floats, etc. … and a lot 
of love.
MAIL DEPT. … “Bea Cohen 
and I had to tell you this. We 
took our 4-year-old daughter 
Sherill to see her sister Lillian’
s 
new apartment. She was wide-
eyed when telling of getting into 
a little room and the upstairs 
came down.
” … Sy Cohen
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … A 
balding white-haired 
man walked into a 
jewelry store Friday 
evening with a beau-
tiful much younger 
girl at his side and 
told the jeweler he 
was looking for a 
special ring for his girlfriend … 
The jeweler looked through his 
stock and brought out a $5,000 
ring … 
The man said, “No, I’
d like to 

see something more special!” 
The jeweler went to his 
special stock and brought out 
another ring and said, “Here is a 
stunning ring at only $40,000.
”
The girl’
s eyes sparkled and 
her whole body trembled with 
excitement … The elderly man 
seeing this said, “We’
ll take it!”
The jeweler asked how pay-
ment would be made. “My 
check is good. I’
ll write it now 
and you can call my bank to 
verify the funds. I’
ll pick up the 
ring on Monday morning.
”
On Monday morning, the 
jeweler angrily phoned the old 
man and said, “Sir, there’
s no 
money in that account.
”
“I know,
” said the old man. 
“But let me tell you about my 
weekend!”
CONGRATS … To Rabbi 
Jason Miller on his birthday …
To Ken Maier on his birthday. 

Danny’
s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist

RED ROBIN FACEBOOK

THE GALLERY RESTAURANT

WELCOME BACK!

Our Dining Room is now Reopened!

“For 40 years, Gallery Restaurant has served up masterpieces” 
 

 ~ Danny Raskin

Bloomfield Plaza • 6638 Telegraph Road and Maple • 248-851-0313

www.galleryrestaurant2.com

OFFERING
CARRY OUT &
CURB SIDE PICK UP!

8AM – 8:30PM

DELIVERY
AVAILABLE
VIA DOORDASH!

STILL OFFERING!
GROCERIES &
MERCHANDISE!

Contact Larry Al
l
an
 

 

 can’
t enj
oy j
ewel
ry i
f i
t’
s si
tti
ng i
n your safe 
deposi
t box.
 Sel
l
 or borrow on i
t for i
mmedi
ate cash.
 
We deal
 i
n j
ewel
ry,
 watches,
 di
amonds and coi
ns.

A Service to
Private Owners,
Banks & Estates

248-644-8565

Coins & Jewelry

 JULY 23 • 2020 | 45