Stacked Pickle: Former Colts linebacker seeking potential business owners in Jasper
Super Bowl Champion and Indianapolis Colts linebacker turned restaurateur Gary Brackett is looking for the right person to bring his flavor of casual dining to Jasper.
Brackett, the CEO of The Stacked Pickle, explained he is at the point in his franchise’s growth to expand in the Southern Indiana market. Jasper is attractive because of its growth opportunities, geographic location and demographics according to Brackett.
“We are looking to expand across the state of Indiana and we are looking for the right kind of franchise partners and Jasper is on our list of targeted markets,” Brackett said.
Brackett said he has had interest from folks in this area solely based on their experiences in his locations in Indianapolis. “We get people in from the Jasper area and many have suggested we bring a restaurant there,” he said.
Rather than bringing a corporate restaurant to the area though, Brackett, who has started to franchise the chain, is seeking a person interested in building their own business in the area.
“Restaurants can be the ultimate team sport,” Brackett said. “One thing a lot of players struggle with when they leave the game is not being part of a team. In a restaurant, from your hostess to your kitchen staff, to your front of house staff, to your management, when it works really well, we work as a team. I really enjoy the team aspect that a restaurant brings.”
The company’s motto is “Build a pickle” and Brackett likens this to everyone working together for a single goal.
Along with that, he has some specific characteristics he is looking for in his franchisees. They need to be team builders and leaders who are willing to learn and strive for milestones as he mentors them through the process of building their restaurant.
Brackett retired in 2011 after nine seasons with the Colts. He completed his MBA and began pursuing business opportunities when he fell in love with Stacked Pickle. The focus on the local community and the family-friendly, neighborhood atmosphere, the restaurant espoused was attractive to the prospective business owner. He partnered with the company and in 2014, bought out the owners to continue to lead the business on his own.
At the time, there were six locations and over the past few years, he’s expanded to three new locations and is working with potential business owners in Terra Haute and Bloomington.
Specializing in a sports-themed atmosphere, the restaurants feature plenty of televisions for sports viewers as well as great food and great service. The menu isn’t just burgers and wings though, it has a little bit of something for everyone.
“These days, I am a salad guy so I love the crispy chicken salad,” Brackett said adding that on the weekend, he’ll loosen his belt for some wings or splurge on the “Big Dilla Burger” a quesadilla with a cheeseburger inside.
Besides the sports-theme, Brackett really appreciates the diversity of the restaurant’s menu. “I have three small children and one will want pizza, one will want chicken and one will want a burger, this is a restaurant where I can accommodate the whole family,” he explained.
The goal with each new location is to become a favorite place to eat for the community based on the menu offerings, prices and legendary service.
“People will pay for average food but they won’t pay for average service. I really believe in what we call legendary service. It is amazing when you go to eat at a restaurant and they remember your name or know your favorite drink.” Brackett said.
Interested future business owners can log onto the company’s website at https://stackedpickle.com/ and click on the “Franchise” tab to check out the opportunity and apply for consideration. Brackett said the company is getting a lot of applications as interest has grown and a team culls through the applications before forwarding them on for consideration.
If someone qualifies, they will meet with Brackett and his team at the company’s headquarters and if they proceed forward, the new franchisee will receive in-depth training and support through the process. His goal is to ensure the new location is profitable efficiently and quickly.
This would be GREAT !
Just what Jasper needs is another burger and wing joint with multiples tv’s. We need one of those about as much as another Pizza place or Mexican restaurant!!! At least bring in something other than a sports bar or bar period. Not everyone likes wings, beer,burgers and seeing 50 tv’s on the walls. We need a good Steakhouse, BBQ smokehouse,Seafood restaurant, or a Smorgasbord like Golden Corral that are family friendly.I would rather see a Kentucky Fried Chicken or Popeyes.
Oh my – be careful – you might see something from “Nope” and his “Negative” Police (aka, the NPs) about what they may consider as your “negative” comment. That is, unless they just pick on old widowed ladies like me. That said – hell with it – I agree with you about much of what you pointed out and of needing good family-friendly restaurants, especially like the already popular and well-established Golden Corral, a favorite, that caters to kids, families and seniors with lots of variety and daily/weekly specials.
I would just be thrilled to see some of our current restaurants pass a health inspection……
You said it! – er, well – I mean – tut, tut, another negative comment. You’d have been better to comment how they were reported as “improved” from one inspection to the next – and maybe how it creates “opportunities” for further improvement – to use some tape and cardboard or something to cover over (er, repair) stuff (until after the inspector leaves). See, now that’s a more POSITIVE light on the situation!
Bring em on. The more the merrier . Burgers, chicken , Steaks , seafood, Hot Dogs. Plenty of Coupons for Dubois county customers. That will get em in.