GALION — Burgers and banking have been good to the Beach boys – Galion twins Dave and Dan Beach, that is.
The two, who have been fixtures in the community for decades, are retiring.
Dan’s last day at Wendy’s was Nov. 22, while Dave will turn in his keys Jan. 31 from First Federal Bank of Ohio. The brothers are saying good-bye to their careers – and to the thousands of customers they have served over the years.
Dave, the president and CEO of First Federal, has worked his way up the ladder since starting at the main office on North Columbus Street as a high school senior.
“It’s a solid job with good benefits, an excellent place to work with loyal people,” he said, “but it’s time to turn it over now.”
Dan, meanwhile, worked only two blocks away at Wendy’s, where he ended a 42-year career as part owner of the fast-food franchise.
“The people, the way they treated you and things like that kept me there, plus I had good people working for me,” he said.
The brothers, 66, were born Aug. 23, 1953 in Galion to Clarence “Bud” and Elaine Beach. They grew up on North Market St., then moved to Harding Way West where – always the competitive duo – they played football, baseball and basketball in the backyard.
When they entered kindergarten at North Elementary School, the two were among five sets of twins that year. Always dressed alike, it was so difficult to tell them apart that, for school pictures one time, Dan wasn’t in the class photo because officials thought his look-a-like was him.
The Beach boys recalled a few other memorable moments in the school hallways, too.
“Back in third grade I got spanked for something he did and then Dave got spanked for something I did,” Dan said with a laugh. “You could do that back then, you know.”
In high school Dave enrolled in the Cooperative Office Education, or C.O.E. program, which allowed him to go to school half a day and work afternoons at the bank, known then as First Federal Savings & Loan. His first job was alphabetizing signature cards, then he moved to the teller line.
In 1975 President Russ Vose offered him the branch manager’s position at the Lexington Avenue office. Dave returned five years later to the main office as a loan officer and assumed other roles until his promotion in 1998 to vice president and then president in 2014.
In the food service industry, Dan first got his feet wet as a 16-year-old flipping burgers after school and on weekends at the former Clancy’s on Harding Way. He went on to earn a business degree from Ohio State University in 1976, then came back to manage the Clancy’s in Bucyrus.
When Galion’s Wendy’s opened in 1977, Dan became co-manager and eventually head manager. He also worked as a supervisor of three locations before becoming part owner of the local franchise, which grew from five to 35 locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania during his tenure.
“I had a great owner over the years. He let me do my own thing,” said Dan, who was given a farewell party on his last day. “Back in those days you did the hiring, the advertising, everything. And Galion was always one of the best stores in the Columbus market.”
A bacon cheeseburger aficionado, Dan said he’ll miss the camaraderie of the restaurant, known for its fresh beef patties and Frosty desserts.
“Of course, you miss the people and the customers, like the ‘Do Nothing Club’ that come in every day at 12:15 for coffee and lunch,” he said.
So far, he’s been playing pickleball three mornings a week at the Galion YMCA and, once his slightly shorter brother retires, is planning a family trip in February to Walt Disney World with his wife, Shelly, Dave’s wife, Susanna, and their children and grandchildren.
It will be retirement celebration for the Beaches, the brothers who have made their mark on this community – and definitely drawn a few double-takes along the way.
