1851

When you walk into one of <a href="http://ownasobelmans.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=opposite-approach-to-franchising-fuels-sobelmans-pub-grills-ongoing-growth-efforts-2705239" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sobelmans Pub &amp; Grill&rsquo;s five open locations</a>, you might be surprised to find that it&rsquo;s a franchise. There&rsquo;s no evidence of the brand belonging to a cookie-cutter concept anywhere&mdash;instead of a strip mall location, every Sobelmans restaurant is located in a historic building that boasts its own character, and instead of a standard menu, the brand&rsquo;s franchisees are able to add a unique menu item or two that reflects the community they call home. But every Sobelmans restaurant is tied together by the same proven business model. And this opposite approach to franchising has proven to lead to positive results.

<a href="http://www.nrn.com/finance/restaurants-slow-growth-sales-sag-and-competition-rises?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=opposite-approach-to-franchising-fuels-sobelmans-pub-grills-ongoing-growth-efforts-2705239" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">While other restaurant chains are slowing down when it comes to development</a>, Sobelmans is continuing to experience growth. The originator of the burger and Bloody Mary bar&mdash;which recently started franchising&mdash;already has two successful franchisees operating under its wing. And those two franchised units were both sold and opened in a climate that&rsquo;s unfriendly to restaurants nationally, showing that there&rsquo;s a lot of untapped growth potential available for aspiring local owners.

&ldquo;Sobelmans is a brand with huge potential for growth, and we&rsquo;re looking to expand in every Wisconsin market in which there are 50,000 people or more. But that means that our opportunity is going to go fast&mdash;this is a brand that already boasts a strong relationship with consumers across the state, and entrepreneurs are increasingly eager to be a part of it,&rdquo; said Sobelman. &ldquo;This is a brand that&rsquo;s always been at the forefront of its industry. We started the burger and Bloody Mary trend, and now we&rsquo;re paving the way for a new type of &lsquo;anti&rsquo;-franchise to succeed.&rdquo;

In addition to historic buildings and a varying menu, Sobelmans defies the notion of a traditional franchise by remaining a brand that&rsquo;s exclusive to Wisconsin. That&rsquo;s because Sobelmans is committed to serving the best of what Wisconsin has to offer, from its signature burgers and Bloody Mary&rsquo;s to its cheeseballs and mac and cheese bites. The brand also works closely with the communities that it calls home, including charitable initiatives and establishing a major presence at major sporting events. In fact, Sobelmans makes the only burger that&rsquo;s sold in Milwaukee&rsquo;s Bradley Center where the Bucks play.

Those distinctions are competitive advantages that are designed to help Sobelmans&rsquo; franchisees hit the ground running. Between its unique positioning as a burger brand to beat and its low initial investment that ranges from $276,500 to $849,000, Sobelmans is on pace to sell out the Wisconsin market, <a href="https://sobelmanspubgrill.1851franchise.com/details/2704986/Iconic-Milwaukee-Mainstay-Sobelmans-Pub-Grill-to-Expand-Across-Southern-Wisconsin?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=opposite-approach-to-franchising-fuels-sobelmans-pub-grills-ongoing-growth-efforts-2705239" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">starting with the Southern part of the state.</a>

&ldquo;In just one year of business, our franchisees are experiencing the kind of success that&rsquo;s common for major fast food chains. And our initial investment is significantly lower than some of those opportunities, which helps our franchisees see a stronger return on their investment,&rdquo; Sobelman said. &ldquo;Based on the success of our corporate units and the results that our first franchisees have experienced over the past year, we&rsquo;re confident that Sobelmans&rsquo; proven system has the potential to lead to positive results. This isn&rsquo;t your average restaurant&mdash;we&rsquo;re the classic car in a car show that our franchisees really love and get to have fun with. We&rsquo;re eager to introduce that concept to more passionate franchisees as we saturate the Wisconsin market throughout 2018.&rdquo;

Opposite Approach to Franchising Fuels Sobelmans Pub & Grill’s Ongoing Growth Efforts

1851 Franchise

After launching the burger and Bloody Mary craze, Sobelmans is now changing in the game in the franchising industry by rejecting the traditional cookie-cutter model.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

opposite-approach-to-franchising-fuels-sobelmans-pub-grills-ongoing-growth-efforts

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers - Midyear Press Release 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Comfort Keepers® Hits Mid-Year Stride With Strong Franchise Growth and Rising Demand for In-Home Care

comfort-keepers-franchise-midyear-momentum-2025

petbar

petbar - Garrett Dewan - Why I'm Investing - 1851 Franchise

Why Garrett Dewan Is Choosing To Reinvest in petbar

petbar-franchise-austin-garrett-dewan-multi-unit

Paris Baguette

NJBIZ: Paris Baguette Ramps Up Expansion With New Franchises, Facility and 2030 Growth Target

njbiz-paris-baguette-ramps-up-expansion-with-new-franchises-facility-and-2030-growth-target

Busy Bee Jumpers

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise in 2025

top-10-reasons-to-buy-a-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-in-2025

Home Halo

home-halo-former-athletes-frachisees-image

Why Former College Athletes Can Make Winning Home Halo Franchise Owners

former-college-athletes-home-halo-franchise

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Unlocking Superpowers: How KidStrong Is Building the Next Generation of Confident Kids — and Thriving Franchise Owners

kidstrong-franchise-confident-kids

Image of a kid growing up, developing with kidstrong, high fiving and smiling. 

How KidStrong has Become the Franchise Disrupting Child Development by Partnering with Purpose-Driven Franchise Owners 

kidstrong-franchise-opportunity-child-development

Picture of kids for franchise business Kidstrong which focuses on child development and fitness

KidStrong Is Pediatrician-Recommended for Raising Confident, Capable Kids and Families Can't Get Enough

kidstrong-child-development-program

Bringing Robots to Main Street: How Elad Inbar’s RobotLAB Franchise Is Powering the Local AI Revolution

bringing-robots-to-main-street-how-elad-inbars-robotlab-franchise-is-powering-the-local-ai-revolution

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery in Overland Park, Kansas

paris-baguette-franchise-overland-park-khandelwal

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Opposite Approach to Franchising Fuels Sobelmans Pub & Grill’s Ongoing Growth Efforts

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS