Which companies can you think of that started right here in Jacksonville?
Winn-Dixie is probably the name that immediately comes to mind. That’s fair — the chain did indeed begin here, and it continues to be headquartered here to this day through its parent company, Southeastern Grocers.
But some others might surprise you. We’ve put together a quick list of five companies that you might not have known are actually from Jacksonville.
The company now known internationally as “Home of the Whopper” began as a burger joint on Beach Boulevard in 1953.
The first location of what would become known as Burger King was opened in 1953 by Keith J. Kramer and Matthew Burns. They had the patent for a super-efficient way of cooking burgers, which they called the “Insta-Broiler.” As a result, they named their new restaurant “Insta-Burger King.”
They branched out from there, but the company struggled and eventually moved to Miami six years later. Its original location at 7146 Beach Boulevard is now home to the popular local eatery Stan’s Sandwich.
