JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Beef ‘O’ Brady’s believes Jacksonville remains one of Florida’s best expansion frontiers—even as casual dining and sports bars fight for the same customers.
“A 40-year-old brand started here in Tampa and really grew up in Florida,” said Scott SirLouis, the company’s COO. “Jacksonville is the one part of Florida that we still have opportunity to grow in.”
SirLouis said the brand’s pitch is different from the typical sports-bar model: it’s designed to be a neighborhood staple for families as much as game-day crowds.
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“Jacksonville’s a great family market. Beef O’Brady’s is a core family brand,” he said. “We describe ourselves as a family sports pub.”
To decide where to plant flags, SirLouis said the company relies heavily on data-driven site selection—then filters that through what they know works operationally.
“We use a site analytics model… based on cell phone tracking data and credit card purchase history,” he said, emphasizing the data is anonymized. That model, he added, points to significant runway: “There’s potentially 72 locations in the Jacksonville DMA that would be considered A-plus locations for us.”
But the company isn’t chasing the same real estate as some competitors.
“Beef ‘O’Brady’s is a neighborhood concept,” SirLouis said. “Where we tend to do better is when we’re in neighborhood shopping centers, particularly grocery-anchored.”
That neighborhood strategy is tied to repeat traffic—and familiarity.
“The average Beef ‘O’ Brady’s customer comes into Beef’s more frequently than once a week… a little over 4.2 times per month,” he said, arguing convenience and community are key drivers.
Inside the restaurants, the “family sports pub” identity shows up in the layout and amenities, including kid-friendly seating and game rooms.
“A lot of our stores will have larger booths,” SirLouis said. “Most of our stores will also have a small game room.”
He also addressed how the brand tries to keep a bar business without drifting into an adults-only vibe.
“We’re not an adult drinking establishment,” he said. “As a chain, alcohol is only about 18 to 20% of our total sales.”
SirLouis said promotions and weekday specials are helping Beef’s compete in a value-sensitive environment, and he sees Jacksonville growth as a long-term, franchise-driven play.
“Success is built one store at a time, one guest experience at a time,” he said. “I think we could easily put anywhere between 10 and 20 stores into that market.”
Want the full conversation and more Jacksonville business stories? Hear Kent Justice’s complete interview on This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition—new episodes drop Thursday mornings at 9.