Growth Club
1851 Growth Club
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Franchisee Voices: Samy Onsi & Mary Kate Roesch of The Brass Tap
Franchisees Samy Onsi and Mary Kate Roesch have brought The Brass Tap concept to the Atlanta area.
Samy Onsi and Mary Kate Roesch are two new owners of The Brass Tap* location in Atlanta, Georgia. The two have updated their menu to mix a sports bar atmosphere with upscale dining options including a new gastropub lunch menu. 1851 caught up with the pair to learn more about their story and how they got involved with the brand.
Samy was the Director of Sales and Marketing for a manufacturer of French cookware, Cristel and was recruited in 2011 to open their first U.S. facility in Atlanta. In 2013, Samy was burned out and looking for new opportunities. He started searching for a business venture and because he did not have background in business ownership, he decided to go the franchising route.
Samy saw an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about The Brass Tap that mentioned the brand was voted one of the best new franchises of 2012. There was no Brass Tap in the Atlanta area, so Samy and his wife hopped in their car and drove to Tampa. After seeing the first of five locations that they visited, he knew this was the right fit for him.
On Monday morning after that trip, he called the corporate offices in Tampa and said he was in town and wanted to talk about the franchise opportunity. He walked right in, spoke with Peter Petrosian, and said he wanted to bring the concept to Atlanta. At the time, The Brass Tap had a limited menu and Samy wasn’t thrilled with it. He wanted to establish The Brass Tap in high density work areas of Atlanta, appealing to the lunch crowd as well as those looking for a happy hour spot.
Samy lives in the same Smyrna subdivision as Mary Kate and her husband, and Samy plays tennis with Mary Kate’s husband in the ALTA Tennis league. At a social function, Samy mentioned The Brass Tap to him and he called Samy the next day to mention that Mary Kate, who was the Director of Global Compensation in HR Operations at the time, was looking for a new opportunity.
A few months later, The Brass Tap called and said they had a new menu they wanted Samy to try. He flew to Tampa with Mary Kate, visited several locations, and they were hooked on the concept and the ability for it to grow in Atlanta.
Looking ahead, they would like to open a minimum of four and see how things evolve from there.
*This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here.
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