Rooster Run

Rooster Run was a general store in Nelson County, Kentucky. Joe Evans opened the store in 1967. It was known for the baseball caps featuring its logo and the fiberglass rooster statue standing in front of the store. It has been called "one of the best-known general stores in the country and one of Kentucky's best-known unincorporated businesses". Though not an official Kentucky community, the location is on state highway maps and receives mail with the zip code of Cox's Creek. Evans used the store's notoriety in unsuccessful bids for political office.

Rooster Run
FormerlyEvans Beverage Depot
Founded1967 (1967)

History

Joe Evans opened the store—then called Evans Beverage Depot—in 1967 with $200 of his own money and $200 borrowed from his father.[1][2] At the time, it was the only location in the county that sold alcoholic beverages.[2] One evening after the store closed, Evans and some friends were gathered at the store, drinking beer when one of the men's wives arrived, sending him running.[1] One of the friends commented, "Look at that rooster run!", giving rise to the store's present name.[1] Shortly after the incident, Evans' mother began sewing baseball caps with the name "Rooster Run" on them for sale in the store.[3][1] Evans trademarked the name and the store's logo in 1986.[4] A 13.5-foot (4.1 m)-tall fiberglass rooster statue dubbed "Ozzie Frank" was placed in front of the store.[5][6][7] Eventually, the store expanded, and its merchandising grew to include t-shirts and other promotional merchandise, but the baseball caps remained the most popular item.[1] At one point, Evans had a standing order for 30,000 caps per quarter.[1] By 1991, he estimated he'd sold about 1.5 million caps.[1]

The store's notoriety began to spread as truck drivers wore the hats to locations across the country.[1] A Louisville-based disc jockey also began telling Rooster Run jokes on the air.[1] The Kentucky Encyclopedia calls it "one of the best-known general stores in the country and one of Kentucky's best-known unincorporated businesses".[8]

Community

According to the Lexington-Herald Leader, "[t]he community [of Rooster Run] was named after and consists of the store."[9] Although there was historically no Kentucky community by the name "Rooster Run", the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet placed the locale on official highway maps of the state.[5] Evans also convinced the Cabinet to erect signs along Kentucky Route 245 directing motorists to Rooster Run.[1] The United States Postal Service delivers mail addressed to Rooster Run as long as it includes the ZIP code of nearby Cox's Creek.[1]

Joe Evans

In the mid-1980s, Evans was elected as a magistrate for Nelson County.[1] In 1991, he made a bid for Kentucky Secretary of State, during which he legally changed his name to Joe Rooster Run Evans, to capitalize on the store's notoriety.[10] During the campaign, he toured the state with the fiberglass rooster "Ozzie Frank" to drum up publicity.[6][7] He finished last in the three-man Democratic primary.[11] In 1998, Evans sought to represent the 8th District in the Kentucky Senate, but lost to Republican Dan Kelly.[12]

Evans retired in 2004 and died in 2013.[13]

See also

References
  1. Hicks, Jack (February 13, 1991). "Top Dog at Rooster Run Now in Middle of Politics". The Kentucky Post. Covington, Kentucky. p. 1K.
  2. Strecker, Zoe Ayn (2007). Kentucky: A Guide to Unique Places. Globe Pequot. p. 62. ISBN 978-0-7627-4201-1.
  3. Higdon, James (2013). The Cornbread Mafia: A Homegrown Syndicate's Code of Silence and the Biggest Marijuana Bust in American History. Globe Pequot. ISBN 978-0-7627-8488-2.
  4. Jester, Art (January 23, 2000). "Uncommonwealth". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. K1.
  5. Holland, Jeffrey Scott; Sceurman, Mark; Moran, Mark (2008). Weird Kentucky: Your Travel Guide to Kentucky's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. Sterling Publishing Company. p. 156. ISBN 978-1-4027-5438-8.
  6. Burdette, Dick (October 20, 1990). "Jug Keeps Anglers Clear of High Water". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. C1.
  7. Lawrence, Keith (August 5, 1990). "Political Crowd Loud and Large at Picnic". The Messenger-Inquirer. Owensboro, Kentucky. p. 1A.
  8. Delong, Hettie (1992). "Rooster Run". In Kleber, John E. (ed.). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  9. "Rooster Run Owner Angry Over Fake Caps". Lexington Herald-Leader. April 15, 1986. p. B3.
  10. Hicks, Jack (January 24, 1991). "Political Notes – Poore's Commercial Leaves Analysts Scratching Their Heads". The Kentucky Post. Covington, Kentucky. p. 3K.
  11. Isaacs, Barbara (May 29, 1991). "Babbage, Wright Win Secretary of State Races". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. A2.
  12. Brammer, Jack (November 4, 1998). "State Senate". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. A5.
  13. "Rooster Run founder dies". The Larue County Herald News. Hodgenville, Kentucky. January 14, 2014. p. A5.

37.886358°N 85.549739°W / 37.886358; -85.549739

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