Dreams Come True for Indian Friends Through 6-Unit Franchising Deal With the Brass Tap

Raj Patel, Kaushal Patel and Hardik Patel have been friends for years, and one of their favorite ways to spend time together is socializing in a sports bar. Often at their gatherings, they would discuss their dream of owning a business together. When Hardik discovered The Brass Tap*, the craft beer bar and entertainment franchise, he presented to the group the idea of purchasing one themselves. They all immediately fell in love with the idea, as owning the very same kind of place that they enjoyed spending time together really resonated with them. So, they reached out to the brand shortly thereafter. 

All three currently have careers in the IT industry. In addition, Hardik spent six years serving in the Army. While they do not have prior experience in business ownership, their families do, so they have a good understanding of the hard work that is involved. They also plan on relying on their analytical abilities from their IT backgrounds to help them configure their path to success. 

The three friends love the social atmosphere of The Brass Tap and the fact that it is a family-friendly environment. In conducting research before their investment, they visited several locations, enjoying drinks together and partaking in The Brass Tap’s events like bingo and trivia nights. After their research, they could not think of any brand that would be a better fit for their joint venture into franchising. While they initially planned on opening just one location in McKinney, Texas, they formed a strong partnership with the brand and have decided to purchase six locations, with plans to open one per year in nearby cities such as Melissa, Anna and Sherman. 

1851 Franchise spoke with Raj, Kaushal and Hardik about their journey into franchising and their plans for the future.

PROFILE QUESTIONS

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Raj: All of us are working in the IT sector. I'm currently working as a manager, Hardik is working at Verizon as a network engineer and Kaushal is working in the federal government. 

Hardik and I met after coming over from India to America to pursue our masters degrees, and I met Kaushal when I was working my first job with the Navy exchange service, where Kaushal is working right now. 

The three of us have been good friends for seven or eight years now, and we love hanging out together in a bar. Whenever the three of us would get together, we always discussed the idea of opening a business. Initially, we thought about a liquor store, but it didn’t seem like a viable option in our neighborhood because there are so many big corporate giants like Total Wine, so it would be very difficult for us to compete.

Hardik suggested that we could consider a sports bar, and more specifically, The Brass Tap. 

We reached out and were interviewed by the corporate team. We don’t have any industry background, but our families have business ownership experience with coffee shops and what not, so we felt confident with what we were doing. We decided to start with a location in McKinney, Texas, but the more we talked with the brand, the more confidence they had in us and soon they offered us more. We ended up purchasing six territories total. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Raj: Franchising is a proven business model. It allows us to see the past track record from the other stores and how the stores with consumer demographics that are similar to ours are doing. 

We liked seeing this data and the numbers and analytics because of our IT backgrounds. It was something we could understand and calculate. A sports bar with our own name would not be as successful because we wouldn’t have that guidance and support that we are getting from the franchisor and corporate team. The Brass Tap has already been so helpful in advising us on how to deal with landlords and architecture, how to lay out a sports bar to make the best use of the space and giving us resources for marketing. 

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Raj: When we first visited The Brass Tap back in 2019, we immediately loved the atmosphere. There were bingo and trivia nights and people just socializing and enjoying themselves. We also really love that it is a family sports bar where kids are welcome to come in and enjoy the atmosphere, too.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Raj: We want to open up one new store each year, up to the six we have purchased. We are looking forward to expanding our business with each new location.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Raj: Hardik and I came over to America as international students from India and we met at school. We became friends before finding out he was actually my brother-in-law through a complex, long-distance family relationship. This was such an interesting thing to come to find out! I still consider him more of a friend than brother-in-law.

I think people would also be interested to know that Hardik served in the Army. He knows a few languages, so the United States Army provided him an opportunity to be a translator and linguist. 

Hardik: I was working as a specialist on 15 Delta. My main task was to do the powertrain work on the Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters at the Fort Worth unit. I served for six years, and this December I was honorably discharged from the Army.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Raj: Make your own decision by looking into the numbers, as they are a key indicator of any franchise’s success. It’s also important to make sure the franchisor is going to offer you plenty of support, because every brand is different.

You should also understand the demographics of the area your business is situated in. You want to understand what the local consumers enjoy and what they are interested in. For example, where we are located, there are not a lot of outdoor activities or natural beauty, so people like to socialize in an indoor environment. 

ABOUT THE BRASS TAP

Founded by Jeff Martin in Tampa, Florida in 2008, The Brass Tap is an upscale craft beer bar with 60 taps and 200 varieties of local, national and international beers. The restaurant also features craft cocktails, a premium selection of wines and a food menu designed around community and sharing. The Brass Tap has a unique vibe that is upbeat, high energy and casual all at the same time. You will also find live music, social events, high-definition televisions to view all the sporting action, as well as an open-air patio. With more than 35 locations currently open and 50 in development, The Brass Tap is positioned to quadruple in size in the Southeast and beyond. In June 2012, FSC Franchise Co. LLC acquired the rights to franchise The Brass Tap. For more info, visit www.thebrasstap.com.