Brown Derby History In 1941, Gus Girves opened the first Brown Derby across from Akron’s Goodyear Tire on East Market Street. After seeing great success, Gus opened a second Brown Derby in 1957 and many more followed. As the years of success passed, the Girves family was able to build a successful business by being innovative, staying current with business practices, and recognizing that the demands and tastes of their customers changed with time. One thing that hasn’t changed and cont...READ MORE