‘America’s Small-Town Alehouse’ Rolls Out Franchise Design Prototype that Honors Local Roots
Wingers Alehouse is getting a new look. And, the newest franchise store, which showcases the restaurant redesign prototype, has broken a franchise sales record. The Burley, Idaho, Wingers Alehouse tallied more than $100,000 in sales its first week. “That’s a huge, huge sales week, particularly when you have a brand-new staff, so kudos to them!” says Wingers Alehouse founder and CEO Eric Slaymaker. In the three months it’s been open, Burley continues to be among the top five performing Wingers Alehouse locations systemwide, says franchise owner Brad McDougal (below).
The Burley location features an eye-catching façade of stone and wood with glossy red metal panels extending up each corner. The interior is warm and comfortable with an industrial-chic vibe and décor by local artists that pays homage to regional craft breweries and the local community.
“We’ve spent the last couple years working with designers and architects on the prototype for new franchise locations. We wanted to elevate the interior and exterior, as well as the overall alehouse experience, and it’s come together in a really cool way,” says Slaymaker, who points out that Burley also represents the prototypical Wingers Alehouse market. “The Burley store follows our vision for the brand as ‘America’s Small-Town Alehouse.’”
Small Town, Big ROI
Central to the Wingers Alehouse model is its focus on franchise locations in small to mid-sized markets where restaurants can be successful with smaller footprints and smaller staff sizes – without competition from the big restaurant chains that require locations in larger markets to be profitable. Ideal Wingers Alehouse locations like Burley (population 12,146) also are near hotels and major highways. The Burley store’s proximity to a freeway figured into the new architectural design. “We really wanted to make a statement with the exterior so it pops from the road,” Slaymaker says.
McDougal, who also owns three Wingers Alehouse locations near Boise, Idaho, with plans for three or four more in the state over the next 10 years, says there are other advantages to smaller markets. “One of the best parts about opening in a smaller town is that the community is really excited for something new, especially Wingers Alehouse’s chef-inspired entrées and the huge selection of craft beer,” he says. “That’s a big change from the usual small-town offerings of Chinese, Mexican and the local diner.”
McDougal stoked enthusiasm for the Burley opening through social media and promotions, including offering local residents a free meal the weekend before opening. “They get a sneak peak into the coolest place in town and we are able to use the opportunity to train our staff. It was fun to see these guests taking pictures of the food and décor, and writing about their experience. One Realtor did a sneak peak video and had over 10,000 views,” he says.
Tapping Regional Spirit(s)
Regional microbreweries have been key to Wingers Alehouse success, with franchise locations offering up to 101 beers, many of them from craft brewers near those stores. Wingers Alehouse pays tribute to those microbreweries by featuring their logos and graphics in artwork at the restaurants offering those beers. At the Burley location, a collage of art from microbreweries in that region is prominent in a gallery setting near the entrance. Keg tops for Winger Bros. signature beers are affixed to a wall near the bar. Other Wingers Alehouse locations feature art pertaining to microbrews from their regions that are offered at those stores.
The new interior design prototype ensures consistency in the look and feel of new franchise locations, with specifications for finishes including brick, concrete and grout, for example, as well as seating designed for stay-a-while comfort. The prototype also allows franchise owners latitude in choosing décor that celebrates their communities and residents, and evokes nostalgia and even a little humor, says designer Summer Bell (below) with House & Haven Design.
Burley’s décor, for example, includes an old burlap Ida-Pride Potatoes sack in a shadowbox frame that speaks to the community’s agricultural roots, and an American flag crafted from whiskey barrels hand-carved by a military veteran with The Heritage Flag Company.
Custom art by Idaho artist Odessa Kaufman of Chalk & Cloud includes a giant sketch of a rooster on one wall, the Wingers Alehouse logo painted on a brick wall near the bar, and “LOOKIN’ GOOD SPUD” in big, bold letters on the wall of the men’s room.
Bell says the prototype includes ideas franchisees might consider, including hyperlocal items such as displays of local sports team jerseys, community events postings and an electronic bulletin board of sorts that can be customized to celebrate a patron’s birthday, a team’s victory or other events.
Creating a Wow Experience
McDougal says he and Slaymaker were finalizing exterior details, “and at one point in the discussion, we thought, the new building is going to wow guests as they drive by. Now we’ve got to wow them when they walk in the door.”
McDougal had met Bell through a mutual acquaintance. “In our first meeting, I was really impressed with the science behind design,” he says. “I’ve been in the restaurant business for over 20 years and passionate about great service and consistent high-quality food, but never had thought much about how the design can enhance that. When someone feels warm and comfortable, when their eyes are directed to what we want them to see, the whole experience is elevated.”
McDougal introduced Bell to Slaymaker, who hired her to create the interior design prototype.
“The Wingers Alehouse team’s goal was to elevate the brand and embrace that alehouse concept that makes for a great guest experience,” Bell says. “We aimed to create a cohesive and elevated brand identity, and we did that by blending the modern industrial elements with warm, inviting textures. We want people to walk in and immediately feel welcomed.”
McDougal and Slaymaker say the restaurant redesign has achieved those goals. “It’s been really fun to see how many guests take a moment during dinner and will walk around, take pictures and post on their social media,” McDougal says. “The Burley location is along a freeway so we have a lot of travelers, and they often will comment about how it’s a relaxing stop. I think that goes to well-planned design including areas of eye reprieve and stunning local art.”
A True Franchise Partnership
Eric and Scott Slaymaker, co-founders and brothers, have been franchisees with large restaurant brands including Sizzler, Tony Roma’s and TGI Fridays. They understand the challenges and joys of franchise owners. What began in 1993 in Bountiful, Utah, as Wingers American Diner, has expanded to 22 America’s Small Town Alehouse locations, six of them corporate-owned, throughout the Intermountain West and Midwest.
Scott says the goal wasn’t to be the biggest, “but we certainly want to be relevant and one of the best, and we want to do it with people we want to work with, people who respect one another and have the same vision and goals. We are very much in a relationship business. Our mission statement is very simple: ‘Creating amazing experiences.’ And that goes for guests as well as team members, franchisees and vendors.”
McDougal agrees. “Our family has been involved with multiple franchise concepts over the past 20 years. One of the reasons we love Wingers Alehouse and continue to grow with them is they really do see their franchisees as partners. They listen and even will seek collaboration. It really makes you feel ‘bought-in.’ You know at the end of the day that if you need to talk to real decision makers, they are there. Hiring a specialized firm for a restaurant redesign is just another example of that. They took that suggestion and were willing to invest heavily in the idea as it benefits us all.”
For more information about franchising opportunities, visit the Wingers Alehouse website.
