Jason and Amy Sadowski​ ​retire​ ​from​ ​McDonald’s​ ​business,​ ​RMCC​ ​ merges with Little Rock chapter

After​ ​45​ ​years,​ ​the​ ​Sadowski​ ​family​ ​is​ ​retiring​ ​from​ ​the​ ​McDonald’s​ ​business.​ ​ ​The​ ​nine​ ​restaurants, which​ ​employ​ ​approximately​ ​400​ ​people​ ​across​ ​Texarkana,​ Atlanta, Ashdown and Leary, are​ ​currently represented​ ​by​ ​Amy​ ​and​ ​Jason​ ​Sadowski,​ ​but​ ​will​ ​transfer​ ​to​ ​Michael​ ​Retzer​ ​Jr.,​ ​Little​ ​Rock,​ ​Arkansas.

Nancy​ ​and​ ​Tom​ ​Sadowski,​ ​parents​ ​of​ ​Jason,​ ​opened​ ​the​ ​first​ ​McDonald’s​ ​in​ ​Texarkana​ ​in​ ​1973.​ ​They later​ ​opened​ ​the Ronald​ ​McDonald​ ​Children’s​ ​Charities​ ​chapter in​ ​Texarkana​ ​in​ ​1994.

“We​ ​developed​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​good​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​employees​ ​who​ ​are​ ​very​ ​loyal​ ​that​ ​helped​ ​us​ ​build​ ​that business,​ ​from​ ​that​ ​first​ ​restaurant​ ​all​ ​the​ ​way​ ​up​ ​until​ ​we​ ​retired.​ ​ ​We​ ​are​ ​very​ ​grateful​ ​for​ ​their contributions​ ​and​ ​their​ ​acceptance​ ​while​ ​we​ ​were​ ​growing​ ​the​ ​business,”​ ​recalls​ ​Tom​ ​Sadowski.

RMCC​ ​operated​ ​under​ ​an​ ​independent​ ​board​ ​that​ ​consisted​ ​of​ ​local​ ​residents​ ​and​ ​McDonald’s franchisees.​  During​ ​the​ ​charity’s​ ​tenure,​ ​the​ ​organization​ ​donated​ ​$1,093,486​ ​to​ ​nonprofits​ ​that​ ​benefit ​children​ ​in​ ​the​ ​four-states​ ​area. The​ ​restaurant’s​ ​collected​ ​canister​ ​money​ ​and​ ​direct​ ​donations​ ​on​ ​behalf​ ​of​ ​the​ ​charity. Dennis​ ​Young,​ ​President​ ​of​ ​the​ ​RMCC​ ​has​ ​been​ ​with​ ​the​ ​foundation​ ​for​ ​over​ ​ten​ ​years.

“It​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​great​ ​impact​ ​for​ ​the​ ​community​ ​of​ ​Texarkana.​ ​ ​The​ ​organization​ ​gave​ ​grants​ ​to​ ​local​ ​and regional​ ​nonprofits​ ​that​ ​assist​ ​children.”

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Earlier this year, the local board decided to merge with the Little Rock chapter of Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities. After the merger, donations received through the canisters at each location will help fund families in need at the Ronald McDonald House in Little Rock.

“It​ ​just​ ​made​ ​sense,​ ​close​ ​to​ ​95%​ ​of​ ​Texarkana​ ​area​ ​residents​ ​who​ ​need​ ​a​ ​Ronald​ ​McDonald​ ​House​ ​go​ ​ to Little​ ​Rock.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​certain​ ​that​ ​the​ ​new​ ​organization​ ​will​ ​carry​ ​on​ ​what​ ​we​ ​started​ ​here​ ​and​ ​become​ ​ an integral​ ​part​ ​of​ ​this​ ​community​ ​as​ ​well,​ ​“​ ​said​ ​Jason​ ​and​ ​Amy.

Jason​ ​was​ ​born​ ​in​ ​Texarkana​ ​and​ ​attended​ ​Texas​ ​High​ ​School.​ ​ ​He​ ​later​ ​graduated​ ​from​ ​Southern Methodist​ ​University​ ​in​ ​2001​ ​with​ ​a​ ​degree​ ​in​ ​Business.​ ​ ​After​ ​graduating,​ ​he​ ​returned​ ​to​ ​Texarkana​ ​in 2002​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​the​ ​family​ ​business​ ​and​ ​formally​ ​took​ ​over​ ​ownership​ ​in​ ​2012.

“I​ ​learned​ ​the​ ​business​ ​from​ ​the​ ​ground​ ​up,​ ​mopping​ ​floors,​ ​making​ ​biscuits;​ ​I​ ​learned​ ​every​ ​aspect​ ​of McDonald’s,”​ ​said​ ​Jason.

He​ ​went​ ​from​ ​owning​ ​one​ ​store​ ​to​ ​eight​ ​in​ ​less​ ​than​ ​a​ ​year.​ ​ ​It​ ​didn’t​ ​take​ ​much​ ​longer​ ​for​ ​him​ ​to acquire​ ​his​ ​ninth​ ​McDonald’s.

“Both​ ​Texarkana​ ​and​ ​McDonald’s​ ​have​ ​been​ ​very​ ​good​ ​to​ ​us.​ ​We​ ​feel​ ​truly​ ​blessed​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​end​ ​on a​ ​good​ ​note​, ​and​ ​it​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​pleasure​ ​serving​ ​the​ ​area​ ​for​ ​as​ ​long​ ​as​ ​we​ ​have.​ ​McDonald’s​ ​is​ ​who​ ​we are,​ ​what​ ​we​ ​know.​ ​ ​Our​ ​decision​ ​to​ ​retire​ ​was​ ​a​ ​difficult​ ​one​ ​based​ ​on​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​every​ ​day​ ​we​ ​have the​ ​pleasure​ ​to​ ​work​ ​and​ ​interact​ ​with​ ​so​ ​many​ ​wonderful​ ​people.”​ ​the​ ​Sadowski’s​ ​stated,​ ​“We​ ​will​ ​ miss the​ ​people​ ​and​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​make​ ​a​ ​difference​ ​in​ ​this​ ​community.”

After​ ​making​ ​the​ ​difficult​ ​decision​ ​to​ ​retire,​ ​an​ ​opportunity​ ​arose​ ​from​ ​another​ ​McDonald’s​ ​Franchisee that​ ​was​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​purchasing​ ​all​ ​nine​ ​restaurants. Michael Retzer Jr.​ ​understands​ ​how​ ​deeply​ ​the​ ​Sadowski’s​ ​have​ ​positively​ ​impacted​ ​this​ ​tight-knit​ ​ community​ ​and understands​ ​the​ ​reputation​ ​and​ ​standards​ ​he​ ​must​ ​live​ ​up​ ​to.

“The​ ​Sadowski’s​ ​have​ ​been​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​Texarkana​ ​fabric​ ​for​ ​many​ ​decades​ ​and​ ​my​ ​father​ ​started​ ​in​ ​the early​ ​70’s​ ​in​ ​Greenville,​ ​Mississippi​ ​so​ ​we​ ​could​ ​relate​ ​to​ ​that.​ ​ ​We​ ​are​ ​very​ ​excited​ ​to​ ​grow​ ​our organization​ ​and​ ​join​ ​the​ ​Texarkana​ ​community​ ​at​ ​all​ ​levels.​ ​ ​This​ ​is​ ​exciting​ ​for​ ​our​ ​company; McDonald’s​ ​has​ ​a​ ​bigger,​ ​bolder​ ​vision​ ​with​ ​19​ ​different​ ​initiatives​ ​that​ ​will​ ​resonate​ ​with the community,​ ​and​ ​we look​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​implementing​ ​them,”​ ​said​ ​Michael​ ​Retzer​ ​Jr.

The​ ​Sadowski’s​ ​have​ ​enjoyed​ ​being​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Texarkana​ ​community​ ​and​ ​cherish​ ​the​ ​family​ ​and Christian​ ​values​ ​that​ ​supported​ ​their​ ​efforts.