Window To The World

Doherty concludes a legendary career with Kelly’s Roast Beef

By Cary Shuman

As a rising sophomore hockey star at Revere High School, Dan Doherty began working summers at Kelly’s Roast Beef on Revere Beach Boulevard.

“I was 15 years old when I was started, taking orders on the window and making onion rings,” said Doherty at his retirement celebration Dec. 19.

Mayor Patrick Keefe congratulates Dan Doherty at his retirement party Dec. 19 at Kelly’s
Roast Beef, Saugus. Also pictured at the celebration are Mary Ellen Tortolano, Ray Carey,
Dianna Carey, Fran Tortolano, and Kevin Carey.

It was the beginning of an outstanding record of employment in which Doherty’s hard work paid off, resulting in a sensational rise to the top administrative tier of arguably one of the greatest fast-food restaurant chains on the East coast – and undisputedly the maker of a world-famous roast beef sandwich that was invented there on July 3, 1951.

Doherty worked part time through the years and returned fulltime to Kelly’s in 1994 when the new Kelly’s restaurant opened in Saugus. He became the director of operations and vice president of the company.

“It’s been an awesome ride,” said Doherty. “I have to thank the owners of Kelly’s Roast Beef, which are the Careys and the McCarthys, who have given me this opportunity to work all this time at their great company.”

Since its beginnings in Revere, Kelly’s has expanded to Saugus, Medford, Danvers, and Natick – along with two locations at Logan International Airport in East Boston. There are also Kelly’s franchises in Dedham, Worcester, and Salem (N.H.) – coupled with four locations in Florida and two more on the way in North Naples and Parish.

“It’s incredible,” said Doherty, who has been an integral force in the company’s expansion. “For me who started in 1980 as a kid on the beach, to see where it is today, it’s surreal. I was part of it, but there are a lot of people who were on a great team that put it all together.”

Doherty considers Kelly’s “king of the roast beef sandwich.”

“There’s no doubt,” affirmed Doherty. “We’re the old-guy roast beef because we started it. There’s a lot of good roast beef sandwiches out there, but ours, which is like prime rib, is the best out there. We do like having competition, but we have the best roast beef. We have a local, Piantedosi (Baking Company) roll on it, with the James River Barbecue Sauce on it. We’re also the best with our clams from Ipswich.”

 No to mention, the awesome clam chowder and delicious (Kayem) hot dogs on the toasted, buttered rolls, also provided by Piantedosi for the past 40 years.

Hailed by Kelly’s ownership

Brian McCarthy, retired CEO of Kelly’s and the son of Frank McCarthy Sr. who co-founded Kelly’s with Ray Carey Jr. on July 3, 1951, praised Doherty’s exceptional leadership of the business. Both McCarthy and Mr. Carey’s son, Ray Carey III, a Hall of Fame track coach at St. John’s Prep and father of Olympic swimmer Ray Carey IV, attended the retirement celebration.

“Dan did a tremendous job running the company and taking us through COVID, and he did so many good things after that,” said McCarthy. “It’s very difficult now to be in business – employees, food costs – everything is more difficult that it was years ago. Without Danny, we wouldn’t be in the position where we are today. I wish him the best of everything in his retirement.”

His children express their pride about their father’s tenure at Kelly’s

Mr. Doherty’s son, Revere firefighter Daniel Doherty Jr., and daughter, Katie Doherty Garrelick, are proud of their father’s work and his positive impact on people’s lives.

“I’m very happy for my father,” said Daniel Jr., who worked for 12 years at Kelly’s in Natick (“for my as a kid”), Medford, and Saugus. “He’s put a lot of work and commitment into working at Kelly’s the past 30-plus years. I’ve grown up around it. My father has always been somebody that I’ve looked up to, for how hard he works and how well he does it.”

‘The living embodiment of Kelly’s’

Several former employees who worked under Doherty’s leadership stopped by the party and spoke reverentially about  their former boss while wishing him well in his retirement.

Christian Eaves, who received the RHS alumni hockey award from Doherty, began in his job at Kelly’s during his college years at Salem State.

“Mr. Doherty is the very living embodiment of Kelly’s – he is a legend,” said Eaves respectfully. “When he gave me the Revere Hockey alumni award, I guess he saw potential in me, and I decided to prove that to him by working at the Kelly’s on the beach and in Saugus. He’s just an overall great guy. He looks out for his employees and offers impactful lessons that stay with you forever.”

Carla Medairos worked at three of Kelly’s restaurants.

“He was an awesome boss,” said Medairos. “He’s friendly, just a great guy. One hundred percent, I would come back and work for him.”

Erica Diaz recalled about working at Kelly’s, “Mr. Doherty gave me my first job. He gave me a raise after one month of employment, just because I asked, and he believed in me. And I still use him as a reference to this day and it’s been 18-20 years. He treated us all like we’re his family.”

Starting a new chapter in his life

Dan Doherty just turned 60 years old and is officially retired. “I’m going to take some time off and then figure it out,” said Doherty. “My wife, Kim (of 38 years), and I will take of our grandchildren (Teagan, Kyle, and Malcolm). My wife is a big part of my success. It’s been a partnership.” Doherty, who played high school hockey for Coaches Dick Ciampa and James Palumbo, has not hung up his hockey skates, though. “I still play three times a week in Malden, Winthrop, and the North End,” said Doherty, who began his love of hockey in the Revere Youth program where he later coached.

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