In 1968, a young man opened a restaurant in Cheyenne.The man was John Turner, a man who had been stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base during the Korean War.  The restaurant he opened in ’68 was called Taco House.  The franchise rights to that popular restaurant were sold and the franchise was soon renamed, Taco John’s, after the founder of the Taco House.

Last week, one of the co-owner of those franchise rights, Harold W. Holmes died in Phoenix of heart complications at the age of 92.  Holmes was a native of Iowa but spent most of his life in Cheyenne, where he was a prominent businessman, operating a furniture business, a camper business, and a restaurant equipment company.

What is arguably Holmes’ most recognizable business venture however, will be Taco John’s, an organization he operated with his wife, along with James and Marion Woodson.  What was a single restaurant in Cheyenne in the late ’60s has now grown to a nationwide franchise with over 425 locations in 25 states including 28 in Wyoming.

Holmes is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Here in town of course we have a Taco John’s as well as a Taco Bell. Do you enjoy Holmes’ Taco John’s restaurants more than Taco Bell? Vote below!


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