Brad Harper is bringing the neighborhood breakfast, brunch and lunch brand to central Florida.
Veteran restaurant franchisee Brad Harper currently owns and operates six Zaxbyâs restaurants and has a Shuckinâ Shack Oyster Bar on the way. Yet he still yearns to conquer yet another food segment: breakfast.
His dream is coming true, as he has signed a three-unit franchise deal with Eggs Up Grill, a breakfast, brunch and lunch brand that provides great tasting meals with friendly, personable service. By the end of 2019, Harper, along with his business partners Jessica Harper, James Clardy and Sandi Clardy, will have opened their first Eggs Up Grill restaurant, located in the Heath Brook Commons in Ocala, Florida. This location will also be the brandâs first location in the Sunshine State.
Harper, a Georgia native who has lived in Ocala for almost 20 years, first got into the franchising game in 2001 when he opened his first Zaxbyâs franchise in central Florida. Business boomed, so he proceeded to open up more locations in the region. He plans to have a grand total of nine Zaxbyâs by the end of 2020.
âIt was one of those âstrike while the iron is hotâ things and we wanted to bring more concepts and offer more restaurant variety to our hometown,â said Harper of his decision to bring Zaxbyâs to the area.
Like Zaxbyâs, Eggs Up Grill primarily operates in the southern United States and focuses on providing a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. Eggs Up Grill emphasizes its community connection through local franchise partners – truly âneighbors serving neighbors.â
Harper is excited to introduce Ocala to Eggs Up Grill, which is rapidly expanding throughout the southeastern U.S.
Located in central Floridaâs Marion County, which is less than one hour south of Gainesville and just over an hour northwest of Orlando, Ocala and its surrounding areas have an estimated total of more than 350,000 people. Harper described Ocala as a large community with many familiesâone in which the âfamily-focused conceptâ Eggs Up Grill would do well. He plans to open his other two Eggs Up Grill restaurants in Marion County as well.
Harperâs journey to Eggs Up Grill started when he spoke with Shuckinâ Shack founder and CEO Jonathan Weathington. Harper was already proceeding with his Shuckinâ Shack plans, which involve opening a total of two or three stores, when he told Weathington heâd like to get into the breakfast segment. Weathington suggested he check out Eggs Up Grill.
âHe compared it to eating breakfast with your grandfather and I was instantly sold,â Harper said. âI visited one in Albany, Georgia and it won me over. The owner and I spent an hour chatting. I loved the warm, welcome and attentive service the restaurant had provided; it encompassed all the feel-good words. And the food was terrific as well.â
The brandâs focus on atmosphere fits in with Harperâs own management philosophy.
âI teach my managers that itâs all about being in your comfort zone because you want your paying customer to be in their comfort zone,â he said.
Like Eggs Up Grill, Harper is also deeply involved in his community. He specifically works to help fund athletic programs and clubs for Marion County public schools.
âPublic schools are our main focus and I believe they need the most attention because of their limited budget,â Harper said. âWe market alongside various schools and help with athletic programs, different clubs and whatever the kids are interested in to help.â
As busy as Harper gets with all of his restaurants and community efforts, he does find time to rest.
âMy wife and I love to travel and boat,â he said. âWe are coming to a stage in our lives where we work for three months or so and then take a week-long break. In September weâre going to Colorado.â
Sounds lovely, Harper! Just donât forget to eat breakfast.
About Eggs Up Grill:
Eggs Up Grill is home to the whole neighborhood, serving smiles from sunup through lunch. The aromas of freshly brewed coffee, savory bacon and hand-cracked, farm-fresh eggs on the griddle, and warm, attentive team members will make you feel right at home. We are âneighbors serving neighborsâ daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Recently ranked as the no. 1 breakfast franchise by Entrepreneur magazineâs Franchise 500ÂŽ for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power, Eggs Up Grill is experiencing record growth across the Southeast. Originally founded in Pawleys Island, S.C., by restaurateur Chris Skodras, Eggs Up Grill now has 47 locations and is headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C. In 2018, private equity firm WJ Partners acquired Eggs Up Grill, building the team and priming the brand to rapidly grow in more communities across the U.S. with plans underway to reach the 100 restaurant mark by 2023. For more information, visit eggsupgrill.com.
The startup costs for an Eggs Up Grill franchise range from $462,330 to $653,680. The franchise fee is $39,000. To learn more about franchising with Eggs Up Grill, visit https://www.eggsupgrill.com/franchise/.
