After decades of military service and corporate careers, Wayne Kinsel and his wife Amy are embarking on a new journey, bringing Voodoo Brewing Co. to Toledo, Ohio. Wayne, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, and Amy, a longtime pharmacist, discovered Voodoo Brewing Co. while searching for a business that aligned with their values and interests. The brand’s unique offerings and its commitment to community made an impression, inspiring the Kinsels to open a local pub where patrons can relax, connect and enjoy exceptional craft beer and fresh food.

Wayne and Amy are particularly excited to introduce Toledo to Voodoo Brewing’s unique pub experience, complete with scratch-made food, hand-crafted cocktails and the eclectic ambiance that sets Voodoo apart. They envision their pub as a welcoming place for families and friends alike — a community hub where parents can relax while their kids play in a dedicated outdoor area. With Wayne’s background in leadership and Amy’s expertise in customer care, the Kinsels are ready to create a successful and community-oriented pub that offers a little something for everyone.

1851 Franchise spoke to Wayne about his franchise journey with Voodoo Brewing Co. Here’s what he 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?

Wayne Kinsel: I met Amy during a chance encounter in Dayton, Ohio, in January 2009. I was an Air Force civil engineering officer attending grad school, and Amy was a clinical pharmacy specialist. Though I was tired after a day with my rugby buddies, I decided to go out, and I spotted Amy at the pub. I was mesmerized and couldn’t take my eyes off her. We chatted all evening. I worked up the courage to ask her out and we instantly hit it off. We married in August 2010 and soon moved to Osan Air Base, South Korea, where our daughter Lauren was born.

My Air Force career began in 1995, and I went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering at the Air Force Academy. I served in various civil engineering squadrons worldwide, including deployments to Afghanistan in 2006 and 2016, Qatar in 2021, Korea in 2004 and 2011 and England in 2005-2008. After 26 years of service, I retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2021. I currently work as an aviation program director at Woolpert, leading leading client relationships and business development in support of strategic growth at the full-service architecture, engineering and geospatial firm.

Amy has worked as a pharmacist for 25 years. Frequent relocations meant she worked at multiple hospitals, and while in Korea, she worked as a pharmacist on base. Now with Humana, she is responsible for providing clinical subject matter expertise to Humana’s formulary build process and research agenda to assure members’ access to evidenced-based, clinically appropriate, and cost-effective pharmacological treatment options.

We were actively looking for locations to open a rotating craft beer tap house when Amy came across some Voodoo marketing online and recommended that we research it. We inquired about the opportunity and then started having calls with Bill Wotochek. Bill was straightforward with us from the beginning and based on the literature and videos he shared we could immediately picture ourselves as a Voodoo franchise owner.

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

Wayne: We love the vibe and eclectic designs of the pubs. The beers that we have tasted are amazing, and we really appreciate the artwork and attention to detail that goes into each beer label. We were also impressed with the hand-crafted cocktails and mocktails — they are unique, and we appreciate the fact it is encouraged to partner with a local distillery to help connect our business further to the community where we operate. To top it all off, the food is fresh, unique and something we would be proud to serve. 

We like the fact that we get to sell amazing beer without the overhead and headache of brewing it ourselves and we are excited that Voodoo allows us to compliment their beer line-up with amazing guest taps to provide a wide range of beer options for our customers. We loved the hand-crafted cocktails — they’re fresh and modern. We were extremely impressed that most of the food is made from scratch, which was proven to us with the limited freezer space in each pub. Finally, we love the European pub model — we don’t need servers to operate the pub, but we’re excited to see that most pubs now have food and beverage runners to ensure the customers are being taken care of.

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

Wayne: We are excited to bring something fun and unique to our community. Amy and I have served in our degreed professions for our entire adult lives, and we are excited to build a business we can be proud of. We are extremely excited for this opportunity. In every place we’ve lived, we had a favorite pub — a place to relax and connect, especially in England, where the pub culture is vibrant. In the Air Force, each squadron has a pub where people unwind after a hard day. We’re creating a similar space in Toledo, adding a family-friendly twist with an outdoor play area for kids, making it a place where parents can enjoy a drink while their kids play — a unique environment this area doesn’t currently have.

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

Wayne: Amy and I make an effective team — our strengths and weaknesses complement each other and will help us be successful in this business endeavor. As a military officer, I have learned that success is only possible by surrounding yourself with a team. That starts with both Amy and I, but we know that our business will not be successful without a larger team of great people. We will relentlessly take care of our people to ensure we build the team that, in turn, helps make our Voodoo successful.

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

Wayne: Voodoo has a strong network of owners who actively communicate and share information with new and prospective franchisees. This open, collaborative environment encourages transparency where everyone is willing to share insights and learnings openly.

ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.

More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned “liquid gold,” provided directly from the brewery, local owners offer killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With 20 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. Now, it is on track to quickly grow roots across the nation. For more information, visit https://voodoofranchising.com/.