In Heaven, It's Always Free Beef Month

"Les Schwab, 89, was the sort of bigger-than-life person for whom Oregon is legendary: the independent maverick and unabashed capitalist who insisted on doing business his way, who ignored business trends, treated people with respect — and raked in the profits."

So says the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

Schwab, who died Friday, was orphaned at 15 and supported himself selling newspapers in Bend. He worked his way up to circulation manager, and married his high school sweetheart before leaving to serve in World War II.

After the war he started his tire empire in a toilet-less shack the size of a school classroom in tiny Prineville, Oregon. Sales the first year were $30,000. Annual sales at the 300 stores in the Pacific Northwest now top $1.5 billion. Schwab's family owns the business, and they don't intend to sell--smart folks.

According to LesSchwab.com, there are 63 Les Schwab stores within 50 miles of Seattle.