The monger may brim with mercantile enthusiasm for some given trade or commodity — whether fish or ale or war. And this is the level of commercial passion that BurgerMonger applies to gourmet burgers. The St. Petersburg, Fla.–based chain merges fast-casual and upscale elements at four restaurants in Florida — in Brandon, Safety Harbor, Tampa and Wesley Chapel — plus one in Pennsylvania, in Willow Grove.
Founders Bob Slane and Jake Hickton started the business four years ago. Slane, who founded the Pittsburgh office of McKinsey & Co., brings in his strategic operational consulting skills; and Hickton, who once operated the Jakes Above the Square fine-dining establishment, at which Slane regularly entertained his business associates, provides the culinary expertise. Thus the partners set out to elevate an American fast-food classic. “The intention was to create a high-end niche from a product, service and hospitality standpoint,” said Hickton.
Success depends on more than just the food, says Hickton. Ambience is very important, and these restaurants use earth tones, travertine marble and ceramic tiles to create “a surprisingly luxurious environment,” he says. Here, high-quality sound systems and HDTVs combine with the aroma of tasty burgers. Food is prepared in small batches, and the ingredients are top-drawer: Akaushi-Kobe beef, challah buns, and milk shakes made with Haagen-Dazs.
The menu showpiece is the 16-ounce Monster Monger burger — which, combined with french fries cooked in beef tallow, might give a cardiologist pause. Thankfully, BurgerMonger does offer equally tasty alternatives: smaller burgers, a chicken sandwich, veggie burgers and salads. “We know we’re going to be compared to fast food,” said Hickton. And so, he says, BurgerMonger uses high-quality beef and nearly 40 toppings as a point of distinction and a way to embrace the “I want it my way” trend.
The chain’s nearly 3,000-square-foot units seat roughly 100. BurgerMonger also serves beer and wine and offers delivery and takeout. Initially, the idea was to target an affluent demographic, but the concept’s appeal turned out to be broader than that. “We see an ever-widening audience,” said Hickton. “For new restaurant locations, we’re looking for a concentration of affluent folks who don’t worry about how many times a week they eat out, but also sites that are adjacent to areas with a blue-collar population.” Around Tampa, BurgerMonger is looking over areas where household income exceeds $70,000 yearly.
In Florida BurgerMonger will be seeking to expand between Sarasota and Naples, over to Orlando and then north to Gainesville. “There’s an opportunity to grow in Florida,” said Hickton. The company is open to various venues, including urban storefronts, shopping center end caps and freestanding buildings. Hickton says the chain anticipates the openings of two or three units in the Greater Tampa area, and perhaps one in -Sarasota.
The long-term strategy could entail franchising in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Denver. Franchisees should come in with a net worth of about $1.5 million plus about $500,000 in liquid assets, and Hickton says he looks for a proven track record. A monger’s passion that matches his own is critical, of course, because for him, a franchise deal is more than a business venture: “I view it as a marriage.”
