Red Wells

For over 90 years Red Wells has offered the public its "famous" roast beef sandwiches. It was the year 1919 when the Wells family first started making roast beef sandwiches. At that time, Allen & Eva Wells owned the Auburndale Hotel in Toledo. In the beginning, Eva roasted the beef at home, and then transported it to the hotel in a wagon. She figured out that pouring the homemade gravy right over the sandwich would keep the sandwich nice and moist while giving it an extra kick of flavor. Serving only the sandwiches, they had to have five people making sandwiches on weekends. Serving on paper plates, they sold many sandwiches "to go."

The Auburndale Hotel was torn down in 1929. The Wells then moved to 1728 Monroe and opened a second restaurant downtown at 228 Superior Street. These two restaurants, named for Allen and Eva's son Red, operated until about 1957. Richard Wells, Red's son, convinced his father to consolidate the restaurants and build a new one in West Toledo at 1740 Sylvania. Richard became partners with his father at that time. Richard's contributions to the new restaurant on Sylvania made it a destination place for the next several decades. Red loved the restaurant and continued to work at the Sylvania location until well into his 90's. He passed away in 1987. The success of Red Wells Famous Roast Beef continues today under Richard's guidance.

During the 1980's and 1990's Richard, with the help of his son, Clark (grandson of Clark "Red" Wells) experimented with restaurant locations, but was most comfortable in the Sylvania Avenue location, making it the sole location once again.

Kathie "Wells" Foreman, with her father Richard's blessing, has now purchased the Old Plantation Inn to offer Red Wells Roast Beef once again to Maumee. In order to ensure the legacy of Red Wells continues, Kathie's son Matthew (grandson to Richard, great grandson to "Red") will run the new Maumee location at 301 River Road.