Famous Toastery Has Big Fan, Great GM in North Carolina

Eating at a great restaurant typically spurs customers to come back for more, but for some diners it also leads to a desire to work there.

Sarah Schaberg, general manager of the soon-to-open Famous Toastery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, says she was hooked immediately on the concept and food after eating at a Toast Café (the company is busy changing all the names to Famous Toastery) several years ago.

Schaberg, who moved to the Tar Heel state from California about 10 years ago, is ready for the challenge of opening a new business. She has been with Famous Toastery for seven years, most recently as manager of the Davidson location, and is eager to take on the new restaurant in Winston-Salem, where the population has been growing at a steady pace for the past few years. The new eatery will be the fourth Toastery franchise and the seventh store.

She has big goals on tap for the franchise.

“We don’t want to dilute the brand as we grow,” she says. “Maintaining our individuality is paramount, while also keeping Toastery’s famous quality high.”

Each location, she says, has its own special personality. The Davidson one, for instance, is heavily involved with the local college and also supports autism awareness and charitable functions.

As a franchise, she says, everyone works together as a team. “Every server is your server” is not just a motto. “It’s the reality,” she says, “and we pride ourselves on that.”

“Our sense of family and our commitment to teamwork are without equal,” she says. “We know our customers really well. That sets us apart. … And, of course, we’re also fresh and fast and tasty.”

The big restaurant has three patios, plus a rooftop dining area, and as part of that all-important individuality, she plans to hang the works of local artists on the walls.

Schaberg loves the historic Winston-Salem area and says Toastery will be a great gathering place for breakfast, lunch, and brunch on the weekends. She says she has a good team in place to help her sell the Toastery experience. She also feels good about the way the company is run, saying Toastery believes in promoting from within.

“That’s what happened with me. They saw my potential. They really believe in me.”