Founder Of Zorbaz Dies Of Throat Cancer
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - The man who started the popular Zorbaz restaurant chain has died after a long battle with throat cancer.
Tom Hanson started Zorbaz 46 years ago in Detroit Lakes when he bought a failed candy shop on the lake. There are now 11 locations around the state.
Tuesday is the annual Zorbapalooza, where all of the restaurants are closed and Zorbaz treats the team to a day off and a party. This year, it holds more meaning.
"It's a celebration of life today," Kelsey Miller said. "It's wonderful to see so many people impacted by Tom."
WCCO talked to Tom Hanson in May 2014, when Zorbaz was selected as the best lakeside restaurant in Best of Minnesota.
"Zorbaz started with 'Zorba the Greek,' which was a popular, Academy-Award winning movie in the '60s, starring Anthony Quinn," Hanson said then. "He was a fun-loving, free-spirited guy and that's kind of what I wanted to have in a bar."
Hanson wanted the restaurant to have a laid-back feel - a place where people could embrace Minnesota's lake life.
"Our lakes, of course, are our big draw in Minnesota," he said. "Everyone talks about 'the power of the lakes,' and so that's why we are on every lake and we present ourselves as being a Minnesota beach bar."
The 70-year-old stepped away from day-to-day operations about a decade ago, when his son became CEO.
But people who work at Zorbaz say he still stopped by every restaurant each year, and did so until three weeks ago.
"He was an awesome boss, he was an amazing person, he founded an amazing company that put emphasis on being a family and being together," Jen Sondag said. "We will miss him very much."
A celebration of life is scheduled for Thursday at the Detroit Lakes Country Club from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
