The Brass Tap, dubbed the “Ultimate Beer Bar”, is getting ready to pour out several more frosty glasses for DFW locals. The chain, which specializes in craft beers and good times, is already a hit in the greater Dallas area, but has plans to spread its great drinks, delicious fare, and welcoming atmosphere even further across the region.
The Lone Star State is a major market for the Brass Tap, housing nearly 40% of the company’s stores. Despite its already strong showing in the area, the brand believes the DFW still holds plenty of potential for the chain. The Brass Tap COO Scott SirLouis generously set aside some time to fill What Now Dallas in on the restaurant’s Dallas future.
“We’ve had a ton of success to date-the concept is resonating with guests in the market.” SirLouis explains. “We’ve got a lot of room to expand there. We could probably put another dozen easily without them being on top of each other.”
The DFW is a well-recognized foodie paradise, which is a draw unto itself. However, SirLouis says that the market has a perfect balance of several elements that make it attractive to the Brass Tap. “It’s a combination of the success we’ve had in the past and the size of the market. Texas is a business friendly state, it’s easier to build there, and we’ve got great franchisees and plenty of room for new franchisees as well.”
While the Brass Tap has already established itself as a strong contender in the local dining scene, there is still plenty of the DFW that is left-forgive the pun-untapped. SirLouis elaborates on which neighborhoods the brand hopes to move into, saying: “We’ve barely touched Fort Worth, there’s a lot of opportunities down there. I looked at a site in Midlothian, there’s plenty of opportunity there. Up in Flower Mound, all along US 380, on the Northside, there’s phenomenal growth in that area. Aubrey is another town we’ve had some interest in, Little Elm is an area we’d love to be in. All of Tarrant County is pretty wide open for us now.”
The Brass Tap distinguishes itself from other bars and restaurants in a number of ways-one of the most significant being its ability and desire to fit into smaller spaces. SirLouis explains: “There’s always something good going on at the Brass Tap. We do trivia, karaoke, themed events like Bachelor watch parties. We do tasting events, we partner up with local breweries. It’s a social gathering place. Where that works for us best is in neighborhoods. So we do really well in shopping developments that allow us to go into smaller spaces where people are going in to greet their friends and neighbors in their communities.”
The Brass Tap already has enthusiastic franchisees in the DFW but is looking to expand its franchisee-base with like-minded, fun-loving, and creative individuals. SirLouis describes desirable candidates as: “First and foremost, somebody that is a people person-the hospitality business at the end of the day is all about people. It’s about enjoying being around your guests, enjoying being around your team, and being able to lead them. It starts with that personality. People who are entrepreneurial, understand business and have a drive to succeed. They want to win, but through their team. People who like having a lot of fun. We have a program, a brand, procedures and we can teach you the mechanics but you have to be excited about it.”
A Brass Tap franchise is a great option for collaborative entrepreneurs with creative flare couched in business acumen. SirLouis states: “Our most successful franchisees love what we provide to them but also are creative about what makes people come in. We want to listen to our franchisees and partner with them to help their business become successful.”
DFW foodies can look forward to enjoying more of the Brass Tap in the next few years. SirLouis’s summation of the brand’s prospective timeline for the area is certain to inspire excitement in locals: “It’s pretty obvious that we could easily double our size in the DFW. We could get in the mid-20s or low 30 before we consider the market built-out. We could be there sometime in the next 5 years.”
