Stanley Smiedt

Stanley Herbert Smiedt, a former BURGER KING® franchisee with 40 years in the system operating locations in California, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, died Dec. 27. He was 78.

Smiedt founded and owned JS Foods, based in San Diego, California, with his brother-in-law, Julian Josephson. His nephew, Anthony Josephson, now operates the company, which has 32 BK® restaurants and seven Bruegger’s Bagels and is rapidly growing into the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brand. Smiedt was known for his dedication and passion for the brand and care for employees of the business.

Smiedt and the older Josephson and their families immigrated to the U.S. from South Africa in 1978. As they settled in their new home and investigated business opportunities, they connected with BURGER KING officials in Florida. After several meetings, they were approved to buy stores in Pennsylvania, Texas or California.

“It wasn’t a tough decision,” recalled Julian Josephson. “The weather was gorgeous when we flew out to San Diego in the winter of 1976. We said, ‘We’ll take the stores in San Diego.’ We saw opportunity there in terms of expansion and purchased three company stores. We took over in September of 1978.”

Success came quickly to the partnership, and the pair soon had the opportunity to buy locations in the Houston, Texas, area from another franchisee in the 1980s. In the 1990s, they bought additional restaurants in New Mexico and Colorado from another franchisee, taking their business to ownership of 45 BK® restaurants by 2015.

“My brother-in-law and I shared the burden of managing the restaurants,” Josephson said. “He focused on the administration and making that side of the business run well, which wasn’t what I was interested in. Stan had a way of balancing our partnership for the better.”

“They were a heck of a partnership,” said former BK franchisee and National Franchisee Association (NFA) Chair Steve Lewis. “Both knew their roles. Stan was always the partner in the background, and Julian was the front guy. It was a seamless partnership, really nice to see.”

Julian Josephson served as NFA vice chair during Lewis’ first term as chair. “Stan’s contributions were keeping the administrative side under control to allow Julian to do the work of the NFA,” Lewis said. “He was a marvelous man and never had a harsh word for anyone. He was just a gentleman.”

Later, Smiedt and Josephson sold the Houston-area restaurants and bought more in New Mexico, setting the stage for when

Anthony Josephson stepped into the company. “If there was ever a blessed day in our lives, that was it,” said Julian Josephson. “That was the very best thing that ever happened to us. We spent a year with him, and then we retired in 2018. Anthony has taken it a level we were never able to do.”

“I had a close relationship with [my uncle], and it got even closer when I joined the business,” said Anthony Josephson. “He treated me like a son. He was exceptionally open and welcomed me into the company. I’ll always be grateful for that.

“He was very level-headed and a smart businessman,” he added. “He was willing to take risks, but he also knew when to step back. He was a huge part of the success of the company.”

Josephson recalled going to his father and his uncle with a plan for expanding into the Popeyes brand. “Stan could have taken a pass on it, but he demonstrated his faith and confidence. That was a tremendous feeling to know he had that type of confidence in me. He never blinked and was ready and enthusiastic for investing in this next growth opportunity.”

Josephson said Smiedt left a long-lasting mark on the people at JS Foods. “He was a stickler for attention to detail. He loved going into the restaurants and visiting with the teams. After he passed, I sent a message to everyone in our company about him, and we received note after note from longtime employees who talked about the impact he had on their personal and professional lives. He really left a legacy. It’s something to imitate going forward.”

Smiedt loved to travel with his wife and spend time with his family, which includes two sons and five grandchildren. He also enjoyed golf and was deeply involved in philanthropic pursuits. “He was the most wonderful man,” said Julian Josephson. “There was not an organization in San Diego that he didn’t contribute to substantially. He was the kindest, gentlest human being. He made everybody’s life a lot better. We never had a bad word between us. He really was a brother to me.

“He loved the franchisees, and he loved BURGER KING. [His passing] is a huge loss to the system and to our family.” n