Former Popeyes Franchisee Builds on Decades of Success with Newk's Expansion Plans

Skip Russell’s journey as a franchisee began at the age of 15, when he first entered the restaurant industry as a carhop at Sonic. Over the years, his passion for the restaurant business only grew, leading him to partner in multiple Sonic locations before eventually branching out to become a franchisee of Popeyes. After a successful run of opening and operating 13 Popeyes restaurants, Russell made a pivotal decision to sell those locations and pursue a new venture with his son in the form of Newk's Eatery.

“I wanted to bring him in on a smaller level so he could learn the ropes,” said Russell, “and that’s how we ended up doing a development agreement with Newk’s. We opened our first location last December, and we’re getting ready to open our second this December. We’re slowly building a company together.”

Russell’s motivation for this transition was fueled not only by a desire to mentor his son but also by his long-held admiration for the Newk's brand, which he describes as a "household name" in Mississippi, known for its gourmet sandwiches, salads, pizzas and soups.

With a six-store development agreement in place, Russell plans to open two Newk's locations in Mississippi and four more in Louisiana. While he initially thought about retirement after selling his Popeyes restaurants, his passion for the restaurant business and his desire to build something with his son brought him back to franchising. And now that he’s back, he’s finding it easy to get caught up in his excitement for the future growth of his Newk’s venture. “We’ll start with six stores, but who knows?” said Russell. “I planned to do just three Popeyes and ended up with 13. We’ll see how it goes.”

1851 Franchise recently sat down with Russell to discuss his impressive franchising journey, his current agreement with Newk’s Eatery and his plans to grow the brand with his son. Here’s what Russell had to say.

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

Skip Russell: I got into the restaurant business when I was 15, working as a carhop at Sonic. I did that throughout high school. Afterward, I worked various jobs — construction, offshore, things like that — but I kept gravitating back toward the restaurant industry because I loved it. I loved dealing with the public and interacting with people. When I was about 21, I returned to Sonic as an assistant manager.

Then in 1996, I reconnected with the franchisee I had worked for, and he offered me a partnership in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We opened four restaurants there over about five years. I stayed with him for 15 or 16 years. At one point, we had around 50 stores where I was either a partner or part of management — director of operations and such. By 2011, I decided I didn’t want to be partners anymore. We parted ways amicably, and I opened my first Popeyes that year. It was just me and my wife — no other partners. 

Between 2011 and last year, I opened 13 restaurants, 11 of which I built from the ground up. In November of last year, I was approached by someone interested in buying all my Popeyes restaurants. My son, who’s 25, has worked for me since he was 15 and he's always loved the restaurant business. So, it was always the plan for him to step in one day.

But when it came time to sell, I wanted to make sure he had something to step into, too. That’s when I started looking into Newk's. I wanted to bring him in on a smaller level so he could learn the ropes, and that’s how we ended up doing a development agreement with Newk's. We opened our first location last December, and we’re getting ready to open our second this December. We’re slowly building a company together.

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?

Russell: Franchising makes things easier. Someone asked me recently why I don’t just start my own business, but with franchising, all the hard work is done. The restaurant concept, the menu, the ingredients, the operations — it’s all laid out for you. With a good franchise model like Newk's, everything is tested and proven. All I have to do is follow their instructions and grow with the brand. That’s why I’ve been successful. It’s a tried-and-true system.

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

Russell: Newk's is a household name in Mississippi. The creators of McAlister’s Deli started Newk's, and people here love it. It’s a higher-end brand, with gourmet sandwiches, salads, pizzas and soups. I’d actually looked into Newk's about eight years ago but wasn’t ready then. A year ago, when my wife and I started talking about selling Popeyes, we revisited Newk's. It’s well-known, successful, and a brand I feel confident in.

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

Russell: We signed a six-store development agreement — two in Mississippi and four in Louisiana. In Mississippi, all the bigger towns already have Newk's, so we’re focusing on the North Shore of New Orleans — Mandeville, Covington, Hammond and Slidell. We’ll start with six stores, but who knows? I planned to do just three Popeyes and ended up with 13. We’ll see how it goes.

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

Russell: The main thing is hard work. It’s not luck; I’ve worked hard to get where I am. If you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. For the last 15 years, I’ve loved getting up and doing what I do — serving customers, working with employees. That’s what I enjoy.

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

Russell: Do your homework. Look at the company’s track record — its growth, its success and its failures. Make sure it’s a strong company with a promising future. Newk's may have grown slowly, but that can be a good thing. Healthy growth is important.

About Newk’s Eatery

Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk’s Eatery is a fast-casual chain that operates and franchises just under 100 units in 12 states. Founded in 2004 and named after Co-Founder Chris “Newk” Newcomb, Newk’s offers salads, sandwiches, soups and pizzas, all made in-house without fryers or microwaves. Fresh grab-and-go options are also available, and Newk’s new mobile app, now available on Google Play and the App Store, offers mobile ordering for curbside, in-store pickup or delivery. In 2020, Newk’s ranked in Nation’s Restaurant News’ “Top 200 Countdown” and Restaurant Business’ Top 250 Chains. Newk’s has also been selected as a Top Food Franchise by Entrepreneur. In 2021, Newk’s was recognized in Nation’s Restaurant News as a “Top Scorer in Takeout Food Quality” and ranked among the highest “True Loyalty” scores – the percentages of respondents who said they visit because of a real desire to experience the brand, as opposed to convenience. For more information, visit Newks.com, join Newk’s Rewards or follow Newk’s on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. For franchise information, visit newks.com/franchise.