Why Sunny Street Café Is Ideal for First-Time Entrepreneurs Sick of Corporate America

In an era where escaping the grind of corporate America has become a common dream, Sunny Street Café® offers a golden opportunity for first-time entrepreneurs looking to make a significant career shift. With its roots deeply planted in family values, community support, flexible operations and delicious food, Sunny Street Café is a beacon of hope for those seeking to own a business that's both fulfilling and manageable.

"Our franchisees don’t necessarily need to have restaurant experience — they just need an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion to enter the breakfast and lunch segment,” said Mike Stasko, vice president of brand strategy. “With our training programs and our systems, our owners have been able to establish themselves and have been wildly successful in the communities they serve. We provide them with everything they need so they can ramp up their business and start to enjoy the work-life balance they deserve."

A More Meaningful and Community-Driven Opportunity 

When Kate and Asch Mikhail first opened their Sunny Street Café in February 2010, for example, they didn’t have much restaurant experience. Asch, with a financial background, and Kate, with experience as an office manager in the dental industry, were drawn to the breakfast and lunch franchise for another reason — it aligned perfectly with their family values and desire to give back to their community. 

"We wanted to be in business for ourselves, but not by ourselves,” Kate said. “We also love our community; we love where we live. We wanted to be able to have a business where we can provide jobs for people, and then use our business to support the community. Sunny Street Café was a natural fit.”

Founded by Mike Stasko Sr. in 2007 in Columbus, Ohio, Sunny Street Café is not only family-owned, but also community-driven. The brand plays a valuable part in its communities by providing a friendly atmosphere for family get-togethers, business meetings and the weekend brunch crowds. All of the food on its menu — including its creative LTOs — is handmade from scratch using fresh ingredients. 

"In most franchises, you’re in a system and you have to follow rules and it’s very cookie-cutter-like,” said Asch. “But with Sunny Street Café, we’re allowed to add our own touches. And when people walk into our restaurant, they’re like, ‘Oh this is Kate and Asch’s restaurant.’ Our restaurant shows our personality. It’s nice that we’ve been recognized for what we’re doing. I think we’ve created a good model. You give back to the community, and the community gives back to you."

A More Attractive Work-Life Balance

In addition to stronger communities, the Sunny Street Café team also believes in maintaining a better work-life balance, and that’s reflected in the restaurant’s 6:30 am to 2:30 pm hours of operation. The desire to spend time with family was a big reason why the Staskos originally decided to focus solely on breakfast and lunch in the first place, allowing for better operating hours and more opportunities for staff to enjoy their personal lives outside of work, as well.

"When you're working from 6:30 am to 2:30 pm, you still have the rest of your day to pick up the kids from school or spend time with your community,” the younger Stasko said. “That is very important to us. As part of our culture, we make a promise that if you work with us, you’re going to have time outside of work to enjoy with your family and your community.”

This feature alone has attracted entrepreneurs like Cliff Bowling, who, after nearly 30 years as the Director of Operations for a McDonald’s franchise in Texas, sought a slower pace that allowed for more personal time in the evenings. The franchise's focus on breakfast and lunch serves not only as a lifestyle benefit but also as a strategic business model, drawing in a steady flow of regular customers and fostering a sense of community within the café.

Cliff opened his very own Sunny Street Café in Weatherford, Texas, in 2012; in 2018, he opened a second location in Willow Park. Since his initial launch more than 10 years ago, Cliff decided he didn’t want to run the operation alone, and he brought his two sons, Daniel and Patrick, into the fold. Both of his sons, like their father, served in the military. They now serve as co-owners of the two restaurants, and Cliff says they handle most of the day-to-day operations between the two locations, which has become a passion of theirs.

“We have repeat customers that come in every single day who know us and take time to chat with us. They’re very comfortable when they come in,” Daniel said. “Sure, there are challenges, but that connection feels so rewarding.”

A More Supportive Culture and Business Model

For first-time entrepreneurs who want to take control of their destiny but are nervous about diving into business ownership, Sunny Street Café is designed with all of the support, training and flexibility new franchisees need to get started and continue to scale their business.

With an investment range that’s competitive within the booming breakfast and brunch industry, Sunny Street Café presents a viable path for entrepreneurs to build a legacy, both personally and financially. Better yet, with the new incentive program, the Sunny Street Café franchise fee is cut in half — now just $17,500, with 0% royalties at opening, ramped up through your first 18 months. This both lowers the barrier to entry and allows new franchisees to keep additional cash on hand for operations as they navigate the early days of ownership.

“Our system is really healthy right now — our franchisees have been able to build generational wealth and get the family involved,” said Stasko. “The breakfast and lunch segment is continuing to grow but the segment is very underserved, with legacy all-day breakfast chains losing their luster. As a result, Sunny Street Café is an ideal choice for first-time entrepreneurs seeking a departure from corporate life in favor of something more meaningful and connected.”

Sunny Street Café is currently expanding and is offering new franchise opportunities in places like Ohio, Missouri, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. 

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/sunnystreetcafe/info.