Former Top Chef finalist Brian Malarkey and business partner James Brennan are building a trio of concepts in San Diego based on a blueprint of “social dining” that they intend to multiply in other cities.
The partners in San Diego-based Enlightened Hospitality Group first created Searsucker, which opened in July, 2010, a 7,000-square-foot blend of a restaurant and lounge with a classic American menu in the city’s historic Gaslamp district.
Searsucker generated $8 million in sales in its first year — roughly double what was expected — and is projected to hit $11 million in its second year, Brennan said.
Last month, the two opened their second concept, called Burlap, in the more suburban San Diego neighborhood of Del Mar. With an “Asian-Cowboy” theme — Malarkey grew up on an Oregon horse ranch — the 9,000-square-foot Burlap did $795,000 in sales in its first 30 days, almost double that of Searsucker’s opening month, Brennan said.
In March or April next year, the two will open their third as-yet-unnamed concept — hint: the name will be a reference to fabric — in La Jolla, a high-end coastal neighborhood in San Diego County.
While still in gestation, No. 3 will have a neighborhood fish market theme, said Malarkey, who handles the culinary side — or an Italian theme, according to Brennan.
Once the three are open, Brennan said the plan is to start rolling them out to other cities that are “starving for cool,” such as Seattle, Atlanta, Houston, Denver or Sacramento.
“We are not looking in Los Angeles, Las Vegas or New York,” said Brennan, who separately also owns the San Diego nightclub Stingeree.
Though the three concepts, all designed by Thomas Schoos, are distinct, they share the same basic DNA with the notion of “social dining,” Brennan said.
The goal is to appeal to the demographic that doesn’t want to spend $1,000 on bottle service at a nightclub, but they still want a scene, along with hand-crafted cocktails and a great meal, Brennan said.
