Central Products history

Furthermore, Steak n Shake was benefiting from a program Kelley launched in 1984 to weed out poorly performing stores and supplant them with new restaurants in better locations.

Steak n Shake reached bottom in 1985 when it lost $567,000.

From $25 million in sales in 1987, the company's sales volume mushroomed to $841 million a decade later.

New management put into place in 1988 was determined to arrest the downward slide of profits and decided to divest all businesses that did not fit with the corporation's core forest products business.

By 1989 the Steak n Shake chain consisted of about 120 outlets mostly in the Midwest.

Williamson left Consolidated and was replaced by Stephen Huse in May of 1990.

Then, in 1991, Huse launched a franchising initiative that he believed would allow Steak n Shake to expand rapidly nationwide.

With this promising venture beginning to develop, Central Garden next moved to consolidate its acquisitions and pay off mounting debt by selling shares in the company in a mid-1992 public offering.

1993 The first Restaurant Store opens in Lancaster & Fred Clark is named CEO of Clark Associates

Moreover, net earnings more than doubled during the same period to about $7.17 million in 1994.

Meanwhile, Consolidated Specialty Restaurants reduced its holdings to 11 units, all but three of which were operating under the Colorado Steakhouse banner by 1995.

Two pet supply distributors, Kenlin Pet Supply and Longhorn Pet Supply, were purchased in 1996, extending the company's national distributorship coverage.

1997 Glenn & Lloyd Clark, founders of Clark Associates, retire

Management was pursuing an aggressive growth plan designed to more than double the number of outlets to 315 by 1999.

2005 First Distribution Center is opened in Lancaster, PA

2007 The new 2205 office building is opened in Lancaster

2008 Clark Food Service Equipment expands its operations into Bradenton, FL

2009 Clark Convenience Store Products division is founded & David Groff is named President of WebstaurantStore

2010 Clark EcoEnergy division is founded

2012 Gene Clark is named President of Clark Food Service Equipment Ranked 6th in Foodservice Equipment Reports magazine’s Top Dealers list WebstaurantStore office building opened in Lititz, PA

2013 Clark TurnKey Solutions Group opens in Charlotte, NC Named CPBJ’s fastest growing company

2014 Clark Service Group opens office in Baltimore, MD

2015 Named Foodservice Equipment and Supplies Dealer of the Year Steve Leaman is named President of the Restaurant Stores

2016 WebstaurantStore Learning Center is opened

Received Foodservice Equipment Reports’ 2017 Management Excellence Award for Dealers Clark National Accounts is founded Hometown Provisions is acquired 2207 Office building is opened on Lancaster, PA, campus

2018 Clark Service Group is spun off to Glenn Clark, Jr Named 2nd largest foodservice dealer by FES Magazine Named CPBJ’s fastest growing company WebstaurantPlus program launched 2209 East offices opened on Lancaster, PA campus Regal Foods founded

The beginning of 2020 was like no other in the past fifty years.