Corner Booth Podcast

Episode 118: John Young with Young's Jersey Dairy

John Young is CEO of Young's Jersey Dairy, a 120-acre family-owned and operated Yellow Springs, Ohio, hospitality destination established 156 years ago. As its name suggests, the business began as a dairy in 1869. It added a bakery later. In the 1990s, it expanded to an event destination, with a restaurant, mini golf course, train, batting cage, and carousel. Today, Young's Jersey Dairy hosts events for as many as 5,000 guests.

"We are still best known for our ice cream,” says Young, explaining, “our 35-flavor offerings include seasonal favorites created by family members, including lemon blueberry cheesecake and peppermint chocolate marshmallow."

This family business operates with a team of 13 family members involved in dairy production, management, and marketing. Many guests make their visit to Young's Jersey Dairy a day trip, traveling from Ohio cities Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton.

"We like to think each visitor experiences our triple play, including a sandwich, burger or shake from the family restaurant; ice cream for dessert; and fresh-baked bread or cheese from the retail bakery."  For 15 years, Young's Jersey Dairy has prepared cheese curds. Current annual production is 80,000 lbs.

Young shares a day in the life as CEO of Young's Jersey Dairy. He explains how he overcomes the challenges of a seasonal business and how he models Disney’s approach to staff training that is among the reasons the company has no shortage of job applicants. "We employ 60 people at peak season, so cross-training is an absolute must for us in order for every staff member to feel engaged and provide the friendly guest experience our visitors deserve.”

Episode 117: Bryan Lockwood with Artistry Restaurants

Growing up in Peoria, Bryan Lockwood’s first job in the restaurant business was working with his mother at a diner. Fast forward to his first industry career position as a manager at Bonanza Steakhouse. He enjoyed the work and was promoted to a multi-unit franchise supervisor before becoming a franchise owner-operator in Jacksonville, Ill. 

At 25, Lockwood sold the business and moved to Florida where, in 2003, he and his partners created the Tavistock restaurant development and management group.

Along with other investors, the group purchased 17 restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the following two decades, Lockwood’s company purchased and turned around struggling restaurant concepts and acquired more than 100 restaurants of various brands. "I learned many lessons from this experience, says Lockwood, going on to say, “that included the importance of guests and why listening to them makes you smarter." 

In this episode, he shares his tips on acquisition as well as the concept development process. “People creating a concept today should not fall in love with their own wishes but rather concentrate on the guest. They should build a team that specializes in areas you don't and finance with contingencies and sufficient working capital." 

In 2023, Lockwood created his current restaurant company Artistry to acquire and turn around struggling restaurants and create new concepts. Artistry currently owns and operates award-winning restaurants Boca, The Chapman, Oak and Stone, Shrimp Basket, Hickory Tavern, and the Sandbar on Florida’s Amelia Island.

Lockwood sees today's challenges as more than combating operating costs and the growing competitive landscape. “I see the need to become the employer of choice and maintaining a people culture that begins with the worker-to-manager relationship and from manager to ownership." 

He believes the best restaurants operate like a reverse mullet haircut. In other words, he explains, "put the party out front and run a tight business in the back.”

Episode 116: Troy Hooper with Pepper Lunch

In 2022, Troy Hooper was introduced to the private equity owner of Pepper Lunch. He had assumed they would be discussing a short-term consulting position; however, it became a full-time position as CEO of the global quick-casual brand with hundreds of locations in 15 countries. 

Pepper Lunch is a Teppanyaki concept. Teppanyaki, which is often called hibachi in the U.S., uses an iron griddle to cook food. Pepper Lunch entrees are served on a 500-degree F iron plate. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurants are able to serve 700 guests per day from their 1,700 to 2,000 sq. ft. unit.

Hooper leaned initially on his experience in hospitality development as he created his strategy.  “We quickly developed two priorities,” says Hooper, explaining, “the Asia team focused on a centralized operations center and updating the program, while the US team focused on growth.”

At this writing, there are 534 Pepper Lunch units operating worldwide. U.S. expansion is centered around franchise growth in Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, and Utah. Hooper estimates that at the current rate, the concept could double its units within 10 years. 

Hooper believes the secret to the concept’s success is in the simplicity. "Guests order at a kiosk or the counter, their entree, along with rice and vegetables, is delivered to the table within 6 to 7 minutes.”

The units operate with four to six team members who are cross-trained at prep, cooking, and delivering. An emphasis on guest service provides an additional point of difference. Currently, less than 10% of sales are to-go pick-up orders, but Hooper expects that to reach 20% as the business grows.

Says Hooper, “The win isn't in the speed of growth or the amount of units, but in the ongoing support to build revenue and improve unit operations."

Episode 115: Shahpour Nejad with Pizza Guys

While in college studying mechanical engineering in the ‘80s, Shahpour Nejad worked part-time making and delivering pizzas. "It stuck with me. I am still loving the pizza business."  

After moving from Cleveland to Sacramento, Nejad opened the very first Pizza Guys in 1986. "What a learning experience,” he says, adding, “We had 65 seats and offered a pretty extensive menu featuring a lunch buffet. We became much smarter opening our second location at a 1,200 square-foot counter-service, take-out and delivery-only concept.”

The concept’s second unit was a prototype for expansion. Currently, there are eight company-owned units operating in the Sacramento metro. There are five franchises with seven more scheduled to open by the end of 2025.

Nejad felt Pizza Guys was ready to franchise once the concept had:

1. Successfully operated multiple units and maintained proper profit margins.
2. Established systems and procedures.
3. Developed a franchisee profile that aligned with the company culture.
4. Was able to offer franchisees direction and support.

“It's important to determine your niche in the marketplace,” says Nejad. “The pizza customer seems to be driven by either price, or quality and variety. We chose the second option and have been very happy with the creativity it has allowed us.”

Pizza Guys offers more than 30 specialty pizzas and four homemade sauces on thin, thick, and New York style crusts. Locations are permitted some flexibility with menu offerings, limited-time promotions, and community marketing. Adds Nejad, "What I like most about what I do is working with managers and franchisees to build their units' business."

Episode 114: George McLaughlin with Vicious Biscuit

George McLaughlin had been a successful McAlister's Deli franchisee prior to selling his interest in 2007. "Being out of the business was tough on me," he recalls. "I really missed the guest interaction and working with the staff.”

So, 10 years later, McLaughlin opened his first Vicious Biscuit unit in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the counter-service breakfast and brunch concept offers fresh-baked "plate-sized" biscuits, sandwiches, and bowls.

McLaughlin explains the importance of a concept's "points of difference". At Vicious Biscuit, they include a self-service jam and jelly bar and “touch-point” system of service.

Vicious Biscuit staff are trained to execute five steps of guest service, including greeting and taking the guest’s order, suggestive selling, meal delivery and pre-bussing, and a sincere “thank you”.  They are cross-trained in various roles and they all share in the tip pool.

Expansion of the concept has been steady since 2019 with nine locations operating in the Carolinas, Florida, Louisiana, and Ohio. "Growth through franchising has become our preferred choice, says McLaughlin, adding, “our Vicious Benefits program of good work-life balance, relative ease of operation, proper investment to sales ratio, and excellent support system is really attractive to potential franchisees."

Four new franchised locations are scheduled to open within the next year. Selecting the right franchisees remains a top priority for McLaughlin. "Having a well-developed qualification process is essential in order to be certain we select brand ambassadors that fit our culture and commitment to service and community,” he explains.

On average, it takes 18 months to open a new Vicious Biscuit location. However, growth has been slowed recently by real estate market challenges. Nevertheless, says McLaughlin, selecting the right place and choosing the right people is much more important than unit count to the concept’s success.

Episode 113: Jose Salazar with Safi Wine Bar, Salazars, & more

Award-winning Chef Jose Salazar was born in Colombia and raised in Queens, New York. His career includes working with Jean George Vongerichten, Thomas Keller, and other culinary luminaries. In 2008, he and his family moved to Cincinnati, where he now operates four successful concepts, including Salazar, Safi Wine Bar, Mita's, and Daylily.

"I found Cincinnati to be a big, small town, where word of mouth drives the success or failure of your restaurant,” says Salazar. “We were fortunate to develop a good following and are grateful for the success this community has provided." 

Salazar is also thankful for the chance meeting with a customer many years ago, who became an investor in the business and led to a wonderful partnership. "I knew the kitchen very well but wasn't aware of the financial and business aspects of restaurants," he says.

Salazar shares his experience with developing unique concepts, building a group of talented team members, and learning to operate a successful restaurant business. “It's no secret that this is a people business, and I learned it's best to trust your people but put your faith in your systems." He found that developing standard operating procedures is required for his team to operate consistently.

Salazar is committed to following the steps that made his restaurants successful. This includes fostering strong purveyor relationships to secure the finest local ingredients, offering a fresh seasonal menu, and providing guests with personal attention from his well-trained service staff. As Salazar says, "The basics of the service business have never been more important than they are today.”

Episode 112: Nelson Monteith with Honest Mary's

Inspired by the trend of healthy menu options in quick-service dining, Nelson Monteith, founder and CEO of Austin, TX-based Honest Mary's, left the oil and gas industry to become a restaurant entrepreneur. Monteith’s confidence in Honest Mary’s was fueled by months visiting similar concepts in California and Florida, as well as researching the quick-service sector. However, he was not as confident in his ability to run the business.  ''I worked making smoothies as a teenager, but was unaware of the many moving pieces there are in the daily operations of a restaurant,” he says. “Committing to a lease and raising the necessary funds was a very big step, as was leaving my job.”

Naming the concept after his wife Mary, he launched the business in 2017 in a 2,500-square-foot space in Austin. In this episode, Monteith shares his experience in the startup phase to develop systems and operational consistency. Honest Mary's became known as the "Fresh, Healthy, Fast, & Affordable " alternative, serving a growing community of guests for lunch and dinner. 

With a menu focused on both signature and build-your-own grain bowls, Honest Mary's built a loyal following. Two and a half years after launching the first unit, Monteith opened the second location. He opened the third in 2023 and the fourth in 2024. 

Now, armed with a fresh seasonal menu program, community-focused marketing, and a strong management team, Honest Mary's is looking to expand outside of Austin. "We aren't interested in franchising but should open a company-operated location in Houston sometime late 2025," says Monteith.

With 40% of the restaurant's volume coming from online orders, car-side pick-up, and delivery, Honest Mary's successfully operates from small spaces with minimal staffing and opening costs. Says Monteith, “We think we are a concept built for today's market." 

Episode 111: Sam Ballas & Sammy Gianopoulos with Sammy's Sliders

Sam Ballas grew up in a restaurant family, but he chose a career in finance upon graduation from college. However, 19 years later, he met Chef Sammy Gianopoulos, a Johnson & Wales University graduate with acclaimed culinary success at multiple concepts, and decided to return to the restaurant business. 

Gianopoulos yearned to create a high-quality, counter-service restaurant that could easily be replicated. In this episode, Ballas and Gianopoulos explain how combining their culinary expertise and financial acumen laid the foundation of a successful partnership.

In December 2023, they created Sammy’s Sliders, featuring chef-inspired Angus beef, antibiotic-free chicken, fresh fish, and falafel sandwiches. Their initial 2,200 square-foot Winston-Salem, NC strip mall location was an instant success. "The ‘two-slider tray’ with fries and drink for $13 helped establish us as a great value concept,” says Gianopoulos, adding, “Today's customer expects high quality, good portion, and reasonable prices. We knew we wouldn’t be able to expand without providing all three.”

In October 2024, they launched a second location in Kernersville, NC and began promoting the concept as a franchise. "Expanding through franchising works best for Sammy’s Sliders,” says Ballas. “We offer established operating systems, experienced financial ability, a low cost of entry, and relative ease of operation.”

The future looks bright for this partnership, says Ballas going on to say, “We are keeping our focus on the three basic combined steps of successful growth — serve high-quality product, maintain a hospitable service culture, and carefully select franchisees that fit our concept and vision.”

Episode 110: Kacie Dancy with Pop's Beef

Pop’s Italian Beef & Sausage (“Pop’s Beef”) has been a Chicagoland favorite for more than 45 years. The original Pop’s Beef store, located at 7153 W 127th Street in Palos Heights, IL, was opened March 24th, 1980, as a small family-run sandwich concept operation. Today, it is a successful franchisor with 17 locations. 

“I was born in the business,” says Kacie Dancey, the eldest of founder Frank Radochonski’s four children. A University of Illinois graduate with a degree in finance, she worked in wine sales after college for two years before returning to her family’s restaurant as a manager. Kacie is now the concept’s vice president of operations.

Pop's Beef menu offering includes freshly made sandwiches, sausage, burgers, salads, and hot dogs. Its house special, a marinated, warmed, and thinly sliced beef sandwich, is available in a variety of sizes. “We are successful because of our commitment to consistent high quality and reasonable pricing,” says Kacie.

Kacie explains how she and her team overcame poorly structured early growth to create an expansion program that is flexible and successful. "We have learned from the loosely organized licensed units we had at first,” she says, adding that the business now oversees franchisees with freestanding locations, shopping center units, and convenience store kiosks.

"I live by our marketing slogan, ‘Don't Worry, Beef Happy,’ and spend my time between the company-owned training unit and visiting the many franchised locations,” says Kacie. Pop's Beef’s short-term plan includes their continued commitment to improve operations while integrating technology into product management and marketing.

Episode 109: Hamp Lindsey with Wade’s Restaurant

Hamp Lindsey's parents founded a small neighborhood grocery store 77 years ago. Today, it is a landmark restaurant in Spartanburg, SC. 

“My father was always an entrepreneur,” says Lindsey. “He added a dining room to the store in 1949 and Wade’s Restaurant grew from there.” 

Lindsey held various positions at Wade’s before he left to study engineering at Clemson University. In 1977, he returned to Wade’s desiring to run the restaurant more like a business. 

“Creating a business has always been a passion of mine," he says, explaining that his plans were inspired by business consultant and author Jim Collins and Collins’s book “Good to Great”.

Lindsey shares his strategy that helped Wade’s become a high-volume restaurant, starting with cleanliness and basic organization and progressing to standards and systems to maintain consistency and clearer branding and marketing. “I believe more in quality than variety and found success with a limited menu that features fresh vegetables as our point of difference,” says Lindsey. “‘Have You Had Your Veggies today?!?’ has been our battle cry ever since.”

Wade’s operates in an 8,000 sq. ft. former cafeteria that accommodates a large kitchen that serves the dining room, self-service pick-up, and a grab-and-go market. Sales are evenly divided between dine-in and pick-up and take-out business.

Lindsey says he is proud of his 135-member staff. “We work hard to capture their interest at orientation and keep them engaged through cross-training and ongoing development programs.” He believes his success is based on three principles: 1) follow the best examples, 2) keep things simple, and 3) maintain consistency.