ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Services were held here last week for Robert P. “Bob” Ingle, who founded Ingles Markets in 1965 and had been the only chief executive officer in company history. He died March 6 at age 77 after an extended illness, Ingles said. Ingle, whose father ran a small grocery store, founded the chain after reportedly being turned down for a managerial role at Colonial Stores, his employer at the time. Using a $20,000 loan from supplier Merchants Distributors Inc., Ingle opened a 5,000-square-foot store in Asheville. He added two locations and soon was making enough money to purchase six Colonial stores in western North Carolina — including the one that wouldn't promote him, Ingle told SN in 1978. The board of directors of Ingles has appointed Ingle's son, Robert P. “Bobby” Ingle II, to succeed his father as CEO. Ingle II has been chairman since succeeding his father in that role in 2004. Ingles today operates 203 supermarkets in six Southeastern states.
