DALLAS Dallas Cowboy lineman Leonard Davis is tackling a new business venture as a franchisee for Smashburger, a Denver-based fast-casual gourmet burger chain.
Davis, a right guard who joined the Cowboys two years ago, has signed on with BIGG Capital Holdings LLC, a business development group here, to build up to 30 Smashburger units in the Dallas metro area.
The agreement allows Davis to own the stores but contract day-to-day operations and management to Smashburger’s company officials. Such an arrangement may attract other high-profile athletes and entertainers into become franchisees, said Dave Prokupek, Smashburger’s chairman and managing partner of its parent company, Consumer Capitals Partners, a private-equity firm that has invested $15 million in Smashburger’s development.
With the signing of Davis, Smashburger now has 11 franchisee groups committed to build up to 217 stores. Currently, the gourmet burger concept has 20 units in Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota and Texas.
Contact Dina Berta at [email protected]
