The Greene Turtle, located at 17388 N Village Main Blvd in Lewes, will be undergoing both a remodel and a full rebranding in the coming months, according to franchise co-owner Bob Frankis.
Given the sensitivity of the issue and the fact that staff was just informed earlier this week, Frankis declined to provide any further comment on what the rebranding might look like, or whether the Greene Turtle will be temporarily closing for the remodeling.
Nevertheless, such an undertaking is not without precedent, as Frankis and business partner Mike Venanzi took similar action earlier this year when their Rehoboth Beach Greene Turtle became Above the Dunes. At the time, the restaurateurs told the Cape Gazette that “the Greene Turtle name had served them well for the past 17 years, but the sports bar theme had run its course.”
The Greene Turtle was founded in 1981 by friends Steve Pappas and Tommy Dickerson who purchased an English-style pub of the same name and “transformed it into a beloved sports bar,” according to the company’s website.
After opening a few more locations on their own, in 2002 Pappas and Dickerson decided to franchise the business and by 2010, had earned the title as the fastest-growing sports bar franchise in the nation from Entrepreneur Magazine, with some 30 locations spread across the Mid-Atlantic.
Whether or not Frankis and co.’s decision marks the end of their relationship with Greene Turtle remains to be seen.
