ONE TASTE YOU’LL KNOW
A Letter from the founders
Hello, and our sincere thanks for visiting our Shut Em Down™ franchising website! We have prepared this website to introduce our unique franchising opportunity for those who may be looking to be part of the very best that the restaurant industry has to offer.
“One Taste, You’ll Know.” We are the pacesetters when it comes to authentic, “good ole” Southern food.
Since opening our doors in 2014, we’ve earned a reputation as “the” place to go for generous portions of delicious, home-cooked food, Southern style. People who visit us from other states have often said that they wish they could find a restaurant like this “back home.” And so, as we begin to franchise our restaurant concept, we’re seeking people to join our special brand.
Maybe you have experience in the food services industry and have been wondering about what it would be like to go out on your own. Or maybe you’re a savvy investor who recognizes a good opportunity.
In either case, thanks for taking a look! To help you get a little better acquainted with us and our unique offering, we have prepared this franchising website. Please read through the content carefully; and then, if the idea of owning a Shut Em Down™ franchise intrigues you, let’s talk further! We appreciate your interest in the Shut Em Down™ franchise and look forward to hearing from you soon. Should you have any questions regarding this franchise opportunity, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Richard and Cathy
Tasting is Believing
From classic Southern fried chicken to smothered pork chops, ox tails and strawberry cake — all of our entrees are made fresh from scratch. Our “down home eatery” is a local favorite here in Jacksonville. And after more than seven years of successful operation and stellar reviews by customers, we are looking to step onto a bigger stage.
One secret to our success – and one that we will share with our franchising partners is this: Our Shut Em Down™ menu is a carefully selected blend of family recipes that have been loved and shared through the generations. Our restaurant owners Richard Jones, his brother Thomas and Richard’s wife Cathy share their experience, their love for food, and their favorite recipes with their customers – and have done so every day since they opened their doors in 2014 in Jacksonville, FL. Take a look through the Shut Em Down™ menu – or, better yet, come and visit for a meal – and you’ll see that everything about Shut Em Down™ is as authentic as authentic can be. Everything from the family-inspired recipes to the employees who prepare and serve up the meals is designed to provide a memorable and second to none dining experience. And we have the system and the best practices in place to share with our franchisees so that you, too, can serve up authentic, home-cooked food which seems ever more in demand.
About our Restaurant:
We Love the Restaurant Industry and It Shows
Richard and Cathy are experienced restaurateurs whose decades of hands-on experience in the industry proved invaluable when they launched the Shut Em Down™ brand. Richard had extensive management experience at McDonald’s, where he spent twenty years of his restaurant career and honed his skills in all the business aspects of running a restaurant. Both he and Cathy worked in restaurants from the time when they were teenagers. You might say that restaurateuring was (pun slightly intended) baked into their DNA. It had long been a dream of theirs to open their own restaurant. In addition to their considerable industry experience, each had cooked family dinners every Sunday for years and the restaurant became an extension of what they knew so well.
After his decades with McDonald’s, Richard furthered his restaurant experience in management at the Hardy’s Fast Food Burger Chain, and just before the Shut Em Down™ launch, General Manager for Dunkin Donuts. Cathy’s restaurant resume includes work at the Ponderosa Restaurants through her high school years, and then Bennigan’s Restaurants (a sister company of Ponderosa). Her last restaurant/hospitality venture was with Hardy’s. Beyond her significant restaurant experience, she also ran a marketing firm specializing in direct marketing and direct mail. The Shut Em Down™ experience includes home cooked food, lunch and dinner. Cathy says, “Dining here is like you’re at a family prepared dinner every day.” For those who love home cooked meals but would rather not cook, this is the place to go. Everything is fresh, with their own seasonings. For both take-out and dine-in, the Shut Em Down™ clientele give the restaurant rave reviews!
About our franchise offering:
What We Offer, Who We’re Looking For
We love what we do! And we are looking for people who feel similarly – people for whom owning a restaurant would be a life’s passion. In fact, if you’re wondering what was the inspiration for our restaurant’s name, it was our confidence in our cooking and business skills that would make us stand out and “shut down” the competition. Don’t get us wrong; we don’t mind competition. But we do strive to be the very best in the industry. We have always known that the keys to success include serving good quality food, having a welcoming atmosphere in a restaurant and providing second-to-none customer service. And our customers agree. Read our reviews! What we have learned along the way, and the practices we have implemented, will help you as a franchisee.
If you have an appetite for the restaurant industry and have been thinking about a franchise opportunity, let’s talk!
Who are we looking for? Our ideal Shut Em Down™ franchisee is someone with some prior restaurant experience, although we are willing to train someone without that background who brings the right level of passion and enthusiasm. One of our partners, in fact, did not come from the restaurant industry but brings business acumen to our venture. Our franchisees will be people who love to go to work every day, love to work with the public, and who are committed to providing their diners with a superb and unforgettable dining experience. Our first franchises will be in the South but we plan to expand soon thereafter…bringing the joys of “sweet potato pie” to places that have never heard of it before! Our proprietary recipes and the food we serve will be the same whether the franchise is located in Albany, New York, or Marietta, Georgia (or anywhere in between).
Our Shut Em Down™ locations will be in the vicinity of 2100-2300 square feet. Our business model emphasizes takeout, with a ratio of 70% takeout to 30% dining in-house. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday 11-8 and Sunday 11-6. We are closed Monday. We will support our franchisee’s efforts in selecting the right location, food selection, and how to operate a franchise efficiently. Plus, we’ll share our marketing strategies, our community efforts, and in short provide you with the tools you’ll need to get up and running! And it doesn’t end there. We are here to help and support our franchisees every step of the way.
Franchising and how it Works
A question that prospective franchisees sometimes ask is “Why should I buy a franchise? Couldn’t I simply go out and start my own business?” Certainly, some people do enter the business world in that manner. So, what is the real value of purchasing a franchise rather than “going it alone”?
On your own, you might well experience a large “learning curve.” What are the right types of publications to advertise in? What type of insurance should I carry? Are there collateral materials that would best market my business? How do I promote my business? What kind of Client Relationship Management program should I use?
Without the professional training, business experience, or connections it takes to succeed, it can be difficult to get off the ground. Many small business owners begin by hiring outside individuals with experience just for advice. Opening a business independently takes time and money.
That isn’t to say that franchising doesn’t require time and money, also. However, as a franchisee, you enjoy a number of advantages that a stand-alone, independent start-up does not. You begin with the accumulated experience, know-how, business practices and operating plan that come with a franchise.
As a franchisee, you enjoy name-brand recognition and a network of support provides an immediate and distinct competitive edge over the independent, stand-alone business. You can avoid that costly trial-and-error period that causes so many problems for start-up businesses. As a franchisee, you’ll “hit the ground running.”
The Shut Em Down™ opportunity gives franchisees the ready-made framework within which to build asuccessful business.
Please contact us today for additional information. We’d love to talk with you!
Do I need business experience to run a Shut Em Down™ franchise?
Prior business experience is helpful, and restaurant experience is a plus. But if you have an interest even if you lack restaurant experience, let’s talk. We are looking for high-quality individuals willing to put in the hard work to succeed. And our training programs, both at our Jacksonville location and at the franchisee site, will support our franchisees’ efforts every step of the way.
Where should I locate my business?
Our understanding of the market has enabled us to compile location criteria based upon traffic count, population centers, and consumer habits. We will invest considerable time and energy to help each franchisee with the right location, and the steps that it will take to open your Shut Em Down™ location. We will work with you to select the best demographic location for your new venture!
There are a number of food franchising opportunities available on the market. With us, you a will work directly with the owners and Founders of the Shut Em Down concept. You will be trained and mentored by the people who built this business and can show you how to model your business with its best chances for success.
What do i do next?
Please take a few minutes, fill out the Preliminary Information Sheet and send it to us. We will review it and, if you meet our criteria, call you to schedule a meeting.