Growth Chains: Saul Good Restaurant & PubGrowth Chains: Saul Good Restaurant & Pub

By Steve Coomes


Sixteen years ago, while Rob Perez was combing through mountains of demographic data amassed for the creation of ESPN Zone, he unearthed some priceless nuggets of information: Women make 76 percent of all dining decisions, yet most women surveyed said they didn’t want another sports-bar concept.


Why? Because their ubiquitous TVs keep their male dining companions distracted.


“Wives want their sports fan focused on the conversation at the table, not on a TV screen,” said Perez, whose restaurant career prior to that included a management position with Hard Rock Cafe, where he helped it grow from seven to 86 restaurants. “What changed all that for ESPN Zone was the name recognition. The unaided unawareness of their brand turn...