Burt Shavitz is the co founder of the famous American personal care brand Burt’s Bees. Known as the world’s most famous beekeeper, his face has been gracing every product of the Company since its inception. Here are some lesser known facts about Burt Shavitz.
Lesser known facts about Burt Shavitz
1) As a child, Burt Shavitz once cycled 100 miles from his parents’ home at Great Neck, N.Y., to Montauk Point and used jails as a way of accomodation. According to Shavitz, the idea of spending the nights in jails was his mother’s. The police would always inform his mother about his whereabouts and with her permission, let Shavitz spend the night on a prison bench.
2) Shavitz was a famous photographer in Manhattan, but abruptly left the city life and moved to Maine. Here he lived as a self described “high-class hobo” and did odd jobs to make a living.
3) Shavitz eventually started beekeeping after accidentally stumbling upon a beehive in the woods. At one point, he had 26 beehives and called them Burt’s bees.
4) Despite being a millionaire, Shavitz preferred to live as a recluse on his 40 acre farm in Maine.
5) He had a simple lifestyle and lived in a farmhouse which did not have any electricity. He did not have any clocks around his house and scheduled his days around the sun. He would get up at daybreak and sleep when it was too dark to read.
6) Despite being a recluse, Shavitz was an international celebrity and would go on foreign trips where he would be greeted by screaming fans wearing bee costumes.
7) While Shavitz remained unlisted in the phone book, his two golden retrievers Rufus and Pascha had their names listed. His dogs were his only companions in life and Rufus passed away in Shavitz’s arms. Shavitz would Skype with Pascha during his international trips.
8) He met his future business partner, Roxanne Quimby on the roadside when Quimby was hitchhiking.
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