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Frank Shattuck II, Who Helped Guide Schrafft's, Dies at 89
By DENNIS HEVESI [New York Times]
Frank G. Shattuck II, the last president of the company that owned Schrafft's
restaurants, a New York City [New York]-based chain that for decades offered
home-style food in genteel surroundings to secretaries, errand boys, court
clerks and others watchful of their wallets, died Saturday [? May 31 or May
24, 2008 ?]near his home in Bennington, Vermont. He was 89.
His brother George confirmed the death.
Mr. Shattuck's grandfather Frank G. Shattuck opened the first Schrafft's
restaurant in 1898, on the site of what is now Macy's in Herald Square. As
the Roman numeral attached to Frank G. Shattuck II's name implies, "he was
destined to be in the business founded by his grandfather," George Shattuck
said of his brother.
Mr. Shattuck II was the fourth president of the Shattuck Company.
Like his grandfather, Mr. Shattuck was meticulous about service - he
regularly inspected the stores, as many as 55, including those in Boston,
Philadelphia, Syracuse, Newark and Westchester County - and oversaw the
menu.
Among the staples were lobster Newburg; stuffed breast of chicken with
mushroom sauce; veal chop sauté; creamed chicken on toast; pan-browned roast
beef hash; Irish-style apple rings; miniature meatballs; and, always,
chicken ŕ la king.
In the heyday of Schrafft's, a lady could sit at the soda fountain sipping a
martini, flanked by children of all ages digging into banana splits. From a
glass case, a customer could buy a box of assorted chocolates.
Frank Garrett Shattuck II was born in Syracuse [New York] on September 21,
1918, a son Frank M. and Genevieve Hannon Shattuck. He graduated from
Georgetown University in 1941. A year later, he joined the Army Air Forces.
Rising to captain, he saw action in Europe during World War II.
In 1945, Mr. Shattuck married Frances Kelly; his wife died in 2000. Besides
his brother George, he is survived by another brother, Gerald; a sister,
Eudora Watson; two sons, Frank III and Cornelius; five daughters, Frances
Leta, Laura Chila, Susan Ide, Mary Shattuck and Margaret Shattuck; nine
grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Mr. Shattuck joined the family business in 1946, first working behind a soda
fountain in Manhattan [New York]. He was president when the company was
acquired in 1968 by Pet Inc. Over the next 10 years, the restaurants were
sold to interests that sought greater profitability in developing real
estate than in running restaurants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/business/31shattuck.html?ref=obitua...
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