In 1992, fresh out of University and ‘determined’ to find a job, Brent Poulton was fortunate to find a position under entrepreneur Louis Nemes at Bistro on Avenue - one of Toronto’s best wing & rib bar and grill restaurants. One could say that Louis took Brent ‘under his wing’.
Working under Louis’ tutelage, Brent mastered his operations and management skills along with Bistro on Avenue’s philosophy and service practices. A few short years later, Brent and Louis partnered to open the first St. Louis Bar and Grill in the popular Yonge-Eglinton area of midtown Toronto. The idea behind the concept was admittedly simple: provide a superior chicken wing and rib product in a casual neighborhood bar setting at competitive prices. This simple idea was an instant hit with local patrons and St. Louis Bar and Grill quickly evolved into something more than a neighborhood hot spot, gaining the reputation of ‘best wings in the city’ and Toronto’s ‘best kept secret’.
In 1998, with Louis’ career winding down and Brent’s just starting up, Brent bought out Louis and became the sole owner of the Yonge-Eglinton location. Despite the tremendous popularity of the restaurant, the ever-increasing business volume and repeated requests by numerous investors seeking franchise opportunities, Brent initially fought the temptation of expanding the restaurant through franchising. He explored various growth models and decided to take on the expansion of the St. Louis Bar and Grill brand as a multiple store model, all the while focusing on developing and implementing a ‘systematic’ approach to management and operations.
He opened two additional St. Louis Bar and Grill locations in the suburban areas of Richmond Hill and North York. Later in 2001, he took on a business partner to open a third location at Yonge and Sheppard. The replication of both atmosphere and operations in these three additional storefronts proved tremendously successful. With all four restaurant locations flourishing, Brent was confident that the St. Louis Bar and Grill business model could withstand industry trends and varying market characteristics.
Meanwhile, the ever-growing St. Louis Bar and Grill clientele continued to request additional storefronts. Recognizing the importance of full-time ownership presence to bottom line performance of a restaurant, and that continued growth could not be facilitated through sole-proprietorship, Brent began exploring franchise expansion models. Aligning himself with Canadian franchise industry greats including Mac Voisin, founder of M&M Meats, and Edward Levitt, expert CFA franchise lawyer, Brent gained the mentorship and practical advice to create a franchise management model based on the principles of integrity, forward-thinking and responsible growth. In 2002, he formed St. Louis Franchise Limited and sold his restaurant locations in Richmond Hill and York Mills & Leslie as the first ever St. Louis Bar and Grill unit franchise opportunities.
Since its inception in 2002, St. Louis Franchise Limited has, by all accounts, experienced tremendous growth. With 22 operating locations in 2007 and growing, the St. Louis Bar and Grill franchise chain continues to earn praise for its consistent delivery of a truly superior wing and rib product while the wide variety of proprietary sauces developed over the years have served to further elevate the already unique St. Louis Bar and Grill experience!
Today, St. Louis Bar and Grill proudly stands apart from the multitude of casual-dining, concept-driven franchise models on the market. By exceeding guest expectations of product and experience, developing a brand image with a distinct and Devilishly Good attitude, and expanding the St. Louis Bar and Grill franchise system carefully and responsibly, it’s earned a reputation as a cultural ‘institution’ with an expanding, loyal customer base and ‘one of the hottest franchise opportunities’ within the restaurant industry!
St. Louis Bar and Grill Today
The consistent delivery of a superior wing and rib product in a fun and friendly neighborhood bar and grill setting at competitive prices has and continues to be the cornerstone of the St. Louis Bar and Grill model. In fact, despite the tremendous growth of the St. Louis Bar and Grill franchise chain over the years, we’ve remained dedicated and true to the core business principles of the first ever St. Louis Bar and Grill location.
Our commitment to distinction is not limited to our core menu products. St. Louis Franchise Limited, as a corporate head office, is unique in that we’ve maintained a truly ‘open door’ corporate culture despite the tremendous growth and success of our franchise system. Subscribing to the principles of ‘servant leadership’, our corporate management team oversees the growth of our franchise system with unrelenting focus on building strong infrastructure and the necessary support systems to ensure each and every franchisee partner is empowered with the tools necessary to carry the St. Louis Bar and Grill brand forward.
We've worked hard to position our system as an attractive business offer for entrepreneurs seeking the benefits and competitive advantage associated with our well known brand, proven business and operations model, distinct brand, marketing and advertising expertise, and broad range of products, services and programs.
We are so truly proud of the unique culture we've fostered at St. Louis Bar and Grill and with sincere and enthused pleasure we welcome you to visit the 'Devilishly Good' opportunity that is St. Louis Bar and Grill!
So What Makes the St. Louis Bar and Grill Experience So Unique?
Our Signature Product
Famous for its mouth-watering wings, specialty ribs and signature dipping sauces, St. Louis Bar and Grill is not just another restaurant and bar franchise concept; it's a highly recognized brand name within the casual dining sector.
Our approach to developing and marketing our food product has been, and continues to be, based on the principle of "differentiation". Whether it's the pre-spicing of our fresh wing product, our secret dipping sauce or the number of original wing and rib sauces featured on our menu, the proprietary nature of our menu offerings is what draws customers in time and time again. This has allowed us to maintain our competitive advantage in an over-saturated casual-dining restaurant franchise market.
Fun Fact
In 2006 alone, with 19 locations in operation, the St. Louis Bar and Grill chain of restaurants sold an average of 76,000 pounds of our signature wings at EACH operating location. That’s almost 1.5 million pound of wings... in a year.
