The Ranch Restaurant on Portland Road NE owned by Johnnie Johnston and Chuck Johnston [Photo: Salem Online Photos] July 4 & July 11, 2019 Episodes.
The Stagecoach Restaurant downtown by the Greyhound Depot. The Ranch Restaurant and Chuck's Steak House on Portland Road NE (now Lum Yen's). Ren's Drive-In #1 on 12th Street at Rural Avenue, Ren's #2 on Commercial Street SE--both home to the famous Round Dog. Johnson's Pancake House and Randall's Chuck Wagon in the 3100 Block of South Commercial. Lil' Bill's Hamburgers across Commercial Street from Wendy's--home to the infamous Peanut Butter Burger. Bring back the memories of your youth in Salem? These are just some of the businesses owned and operated over the years by the family of our guest today, Bill Johnston, Jr.
The Stagecoach Restaurant downtown by the Greyhound Depot. The Ranch Restaurant and Chuck's Steak House on Portland Road NE (now Lum Yen's). Ren's Drive-In #1 on 12th Street at Rural Avenue, Ren's #2 on Commercial Street SE--both home to the famous Round Dog. Johnson's Pancake House and Randall's Chuck Wagon in the 3100 Block of South Commercial. Lil' Bill's Hamburgers across Commercial Street from Wendy's--home to the infamous Peanut Butter Burger. Bring back the memories of your youth in Salem? These are just some of the businesses owned and operated over the years by the family of our guest today, Bill Johnston, Jr.
| As part of our Yesterday's Voices series which chronicles the hardworking folks who helped shape Salem as we now know it, Bill and his son Ben shared their family story, undoubtedly one of amazing entrepreneurial spirit and determination. Bill said they always thought they were of Scottish lineage, but recent DNA tests show the family hails mostly from England and Ireland. Who knew? The Johnston family came to Oregon in the 1800s and settled in the Wasco County area of northeastern Oregon, along the Columbia Gorge. Bill's grandfather, Charles "Chuck" Johnston, made his home in The Dalles where he owned a grocery store and also a drug store under the name Johnston & Slogum. They eventually branched out into other small towns in northeastern Oregon, such as Heppner, having as many as 4-5 stores. Bill's father and mother, Bill, Sr., and Erma, started their entrepreneurial career in The Dalles. It was there that Bill, Sr., became a top salesman for National Credit Card company in 1940. |  C.A. Johnston in his Delivery Truck, The Dalles, c1900 [Photo: Johnston Family]  C.A. Johnston Company, The Dalles, c1900 [Photo: Johnston Family]  Johnston & Slogum Company, Heppner, c1903 [Photo: Johnston Family] |
Bill Johnston, Sr., Erma Johnston, and waitress, Stagecoach Restaurant c1953 [Photo: Johnston Family] The Chuck Johnston family relocated to Salem in the 1940s, where Grandpa Chuck opened Chuck's Steak House on Portland Road (where Lum Yen Restaurant is now) and soon married Johnnie, the proprietress of The Ranch restaurant further up the street. The restaurant business seems to flood through the veins of these Johnston folks. Bill Johnston, Sr., Chuck's son, and his wife Erma took over the meal concessions responsibility for the Paulus Brothers Packing Company canneries in the Salem area. Soon he would join with Walter Kline (owner of the Smoke Shop on State Street) to operate the Stagecoach Restaurant next to the Greyhound Bus Depot on Church Street.
Bill & Erma Johnston with National Sandwich award, 1959 [Photo: Johnston Family] Moving on to the next challenge, Bill, Sr., purchased Ren's Drive-In (then part of the Ralph S. Nohlgren restaurant family) on the corner of 12th Street and Rural Street (later, the Saxon Drive-In). It is here that Bill invented the Round Dog sandwich, a hotdog cut to cook into a circle to fit a hamburger bun with sauerkraut in the center, which wins the 1959 National Kraut Packers Association's best sandwich award. Steinfeld Sauerkraut Company recognized the sandwich by printing the recipe on each can of sauerkraut sold that year.
A Ren's No. 2 soon opened at 3135 Commercial Street SE, later razed to become Johnson's Pancake House (later site of Rock-n-Rogers). This venture was then followed by Randall's Chuck Wagon across the street at 3170 Commercial Street (now the location of the Fussy Duck store).
A Ren's No. 2 soon opened at 3135 Commercial Street SE, later razed to become Johnson's Pancake House (later site of Rock-n-Rogers). This venture was then followed by Randall's Chuck Wagon across the street at 3170 Commercial Street (now the location of the Fussy Duck store).
 Bill, Sr., at Ren's Drive-In serving Susan Armstrong, Dick & Bill Johnston, 1959 [Photo: Johnston Family] |  Interior of Johnston's Pancake House, c1964 [Photo: Johnston Family] |  Randall's Chuck Wagon Restaurant, 3170 Commercial SE, c1970 [Photo: Johnston Family] |
Buying, revitalizing, and then selling businesses apparently flows through the generational veins of this family. Bill, Jr. worked in most of his dad's restaurants but followed a different career path. In 1970, he worked with the Sheraton Hotel in Portland selling convention packages. While there he was recruited to be the Director of Sales for the McMillan Inns group (started by Judge Peter Gunnar and legislator Monte Montgomery) selling convention packages for the Inn at Spanish Head, the Inn at Seventh Mountain, and the Inn at Otter Crest, and he and his new wife Jani moved back to Salem in 1972. This corporation was later sold and Bill joined with his father at Randall's Chuck Wagon.
Lil' Bill's Hamburger Drive-In, Commercial & Judson Streets, February 1974 [Photo: Johnston Family] In 1973, Bill purchased the business and stock of an Arctic Circle restaurant at the Sheriff's bankruptcy sale (he was the only bidder!). He opened Lil' Bill's Burgers Restaurant on the corner of Commercial & Judson Streets SE, the home of the infamous Peanut Butter Burger, a hamburger topped with chunky peanut butter. Embracing the wisdom shown by his father, Bill increased his sales and patronage by hiring girls from the local high school and also passed out coupons to the local schools for use as class award prizes, thereby bringing in both families and employees' friends. He sold this very profitable business in late 1974.
Bill Johnston, Jr., standing by truck at Mechanical Plumbing, c1980 [Photo: Johnston Family] After selling Lil' Bill's in late 1974, Bill was approached by a former customer of Randall's Chuck Wagon to purchase his plumbing business, Mechanical Plumbing. Knowing nothing about plumbing but always the consummate salesman, Bill set to learning the business of operating a plumbing shop and soon had a second shop in Portland and 20 employees. He survived the building recession of the early 1980s with much nail-biting and realized it was time to sell this still successful business, and move onto the next challenge.
Bill began selling psychological testing products for businesses and soon realized he could provide a better product on his own. Such was the start of his current business, Insight Worldwide, in 2000. This company was recognized as the fastest growing private business in Oregon for three years in a row, and Bill continues to work and promote this business every day, nearly 20 years later.
Ben Johnston and Bill Johnston, Sr., July 2019 Ben Johnston, Bill's son, accompanied his dad for our interview. The respect each of these men have for each other is obvious and very refreshing. The entrepreneurial genes continue to travel through Ben and his sister Amy, each embracing various opportunities through the years and currently owning successful businesses of their own. If you'd like to hear some of the great stories Bill and Ben shared with us, check out our two podcasts: Part 1 and Part 2.
The Johnston family is a prime example of folks who shape the towns in which they live, fully committing to maintaining strong relationships that always lead to strong communities. We all benefit when commitment like this spreads through the our local community--it's encouragingly contagious!
The Johnston family is a prime example of folks who shape the towns in which they live, fully committing to maintaining strong relationships that always lead to strong communities. We all benefit when commitment like this spreads through the our local community--it's encouragingly contagious!
~~Posted by Deb Meaghers
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