The Quick Quirk Quiz: National Chains & Name Brands

By Janet Spencer - Trivia Queen

Behind every national chain and name brand lies the story of the people and the circumstances that turned an idea into a readily recognized icon. Try your hand at matching these 28 stories to the names that make America great.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janet Spencer - Trivia Queen
• Release date: Nov 5, 2009
• ISBN: 9781310248382

Janet Spencer - Trivia Queen

Janet Spencer:Trivia Queen of the UniverseRoyal Ruler of Useless InformationMaster of Arcane Knowledge and Extraneous LoreKeeper of Forgotten Facts and Startling StatisticsFreelance Hysterics * Creative Profanities * Quantum PerplexitiesJanet Spencer was born in 1960 to a poor white sharecropper in Illinois. At 12, she slipped aboard a southbound freighter headed for Australia, where she was further raised by a pack of wild dingoes. Naturally curious and totally obsessed with the minor details of life, she traveled to London to join the Royal Astronomical Society to learn more of the world and the universe. However, the RAS had a long-standing ban against allowing in poor white sharecroppers half raised by wild dingoes, so she instead camped outside and counting the bricks making up the snobby institution. This was a pivotal experience for her. Finding there were exactly 17,431 bricks started her on her lifelong quest for small details, amazing truths, and petty coincidences. The Trivia Queen claimed her crown!Since then, she has been roaming the world from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, counting bricks, observing small insects, and measuring the average number of grains in a typical salt shaker. With such a vast storehouse of trivial knowledge, she now embarks on a new quest: to share this information with her fellow humans - stumping experts, amazing laymen, and bringing wide-eyed blank stares to all those around her. She is the author of several books including "Montana Trivia" and "Yellowstone Trivia" published by www.RiverbendPublishing.comJanet Spencer spends her spare time serving as chairwoman of the Associated Association of Associated Associations, playing with spatulas, and conversing with ducks.

Book preview

National Chains & Name Brands

The Quick Quirk Quiz

The Surprising Stories, Hidden History,

and Unusual Origins Behind Familiar Things

By Janet Spencer, Trivia Queen of the Universe

Royal Ruler of Useless Information

Master of Arcane Knowledge & Extraneous Lore

Keeper of Forgotten Facts & Startling Statistics

Published by Janet Spencer at Smashwords.com

Copyright 2009 Janet Spencer

Discover other works by Janet Spencer at

www.smashwords.com/profile/view/triviaqueen

www.TriviaQueen.com

www.RiverbendPublishing.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Better Motel

A Turnpike Restaurant

Battle of the Hotels

From Goatherd to Glory

Taco Heaven

Harold’s Place

A New Fast Food Chain

Ice Cream Delight

High Quality Ice Cream

A Fortuitous Fire

Irv & Burt Start a Business

A Quality Campground

Quality Camping Equipment

Best Boots

A Publicity Parade

Quality Merchandise

A Load of Watches

Functional Furniture

A Better Sewing Machine

An Asthmatic Janitor

Scandalous Silverware

An Ice Builder

A Hot Bath

Leftover Cork

Sawdust & Splinters

From Insulation to Flooring

The Seed Guru

Speedy Delivery

A Better Motel

Kemmons Wilson and his wife lived in Memphis, Tennessee and had five children. In 1951 the entire family went to Washington, D.C. on vacation. Every time they checked into a hotel room, they discovered the hidden cost. The hotel would have advertised their rooms for rent for $6 or $8, but there was a $2 extra charge for every child which increased the price of the room considerably. It annoyed Wilson, especially since the rooms were often uncomfortable and unattractive. He was a builder who was in the business of constructing homes. Now he decided to construct motels, where children stayed free of charge and the rooms were comfortable and clean. He borrowed $365,000 and hired a draftsman to draw up blueprints. The designer was watching a Bing Crosby film as he worked and they decided to name the motel after