Leonard Moore, founder of Lenny's Sub Shop, passes away

By: Lennys Grill & Subs | 16 Shares 1,675 Reads

December 05, 2008 // Franchising.com // Leonard V. Moore, 54, of Conroe, TX, affectionately known as "Lenny" to his many relatives and friends passed away on December 2, 2008 in his office in Conroe, Texas. The funeral was held on Friday December 5th in The Woodlands, TX. Len touched many lives and will certainly be missed.

Ever since landing his first job as a busboy at age 16 in Wilmington, Delaware, Len Moore spent his entire professional career working in the food service industry. He lived the classic American success story of working from a busboy to a dishwasher to a server to a grill cook before becoming that company's youngest ever general manager at age 18.

Len Moore held key management positions with TGI Fridays, Olive Garden, and Ruby Tuesday's restaurants. He also worked as Director of Operations for several independent restaurant companies and was one of the very first Chick-fil-A franchise owners.

In September 1998, after several years in the restaurant business, Moore and his wife, Shelia, decided to open their own sandwich shop in Bartlett, Tennessee. They named it Lenny's Sub Shop, with intentions for it to be a small family-owned quick service restaurant. Moore just wanted to make enough money to pay the mortgage and to put his daughter, Christi, through college.

Lenny's Sub Shop was designed to remedy everything Len Moore disliked about the restaurant industry including pre packaged foods and impersonal service. Moore had a very simple formula to ensure happy customers: Excellent, Caring Service, Everytime. Later that formula evolved into the motto that is used today, More Food, More Taste, More Personality! TM embodying everything that makes Lenny's so special. In 2001 his small mom and pop restaurant had grown into over twenty restaurants across the southeast and he decided to begin franchising the concept. In 2004, Moore sold majority ownership of Lenny's to a group of private investors from Memphis, TN.

Moore then established CLM Franchise Consultants, LLC a joint venture with life-long friend Tom Clatterbuck, who owns and operates Lenny's Sub Shops in several states. In 2005, Moore moved to Houston, Texas and opened his first Lenny's franchise in The Woodlands. The restaurant was an instant success and ranked in the top ten Lenny's restaurants in terms of sales. Moore was joined in Houston by his wife Shelia, son Brian, daughter Christi Thoms and son-in-law Justin all pitching in to help him build the Lenny's name in the Houston market.

For the last two years he served as Chairman of the Franchise Advisory Council. In 2006 he was chosen as the International Franchise Association's Franchisee of the year, one of the highest honors in the franchise industry.

Len loved his family very much, especially his two grandchildren. He is survived by his wife Sheila Moore, son Brian Moore, daughter Christine Thoms, son-in-law Justin Thoms, granddaughter and grandson Madison and Caden Thoms, father and mother Leonard Moore Sr. and Frances Moore, sister Lois Price, nephews Todd, Ben, Greg, and Tyler Price, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Marion and Robert Breslin, and niece and nephew Katie and Robert Breslin, and brother-in-law Thomas Quinn.

The family has respectfully requested that you do not send flowers. Instead, if you wish to honor Len's memory they ask that you send a donation in his name to the American Heart Association. Their address is South Central Affiliate, American Heart Association, P.O. Box 841125, Dallas, Texas 75284-1125. You can also visit their website for more information about your donation using the following link https://donate.americanheart.org/ecommerce/aha/includes/ahaP4formMT.pdf .