Carson's, the place for Ribs, Chicago and suburbs. Two-Tone Coffee Mug

Mr. Carson, who started his career delivering pies for two bakeries, was known for his innovative chains of restaurants. His first was the Peter Pan hamburger chain, which started in 1945 with a converted doughnut shop restaurant at 1123 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The restaurant, preceding McDonald`s and most other hamburger-fast food franchises, featured specialty hamburgers. By 1953, there were eight Peter Pan restaurants. Mr. Carson, ready to "retire" at age 36, sold them. He moved to Florida and then to Arizona, remaining semiretired and dabbling unsuccessfully in restaurants in those states. In 1960, he started another venture, the Millionaire's Club at 19 S. Wabash Ave. With much fanfare he applied the concept of private club membership to restaurants, which was already working with the Playboy Clubs. Membership was required, although people usually could try the restaurant before becoming a member. The club provided unlimited cocktails with meals. According to his daughter, Donna Giannis, club membership rose to almost a million members before growing operating costs in the area closed the eight- location chain in 1980. Mr. Carson, who owned a steak and rib restaurant, the Black Angus at Touhy and Western Avenues, had become fascinated by two slow-cooking machines in which he had invested. He felt the machines and burning hickory wood were ideal for doing ribs. He and a cook devised a rib sauce recipe and he opened the first Carson's at 8617 Niles Center Road in Skokie, Illinois beginning in 1974.