Walk-On's in Houston
Louisiana sports bar named Best in America sets sights on Houston with Super Bowl quarterback
An acclaimed Louisiana sports bar with Super Bowl ties has plans to make a major push into Houston. Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar, which ESPN named the Best Sports Bar in America in 2012, will open as many as 10 Houston-area locations over the next several years, the company announced.
Brandon Hargrave, a Louisiana native with experience running franchise concepts, has signed an Area Development Agreement with Walk-On's to bring it to Houston.
“I met Brandon (Landry, Walk-On's founder) early on in my career and I told him that if he ever decided to franchise the Walk-On’s brand, I wanted to be a part of it,” said Hargrave in a statement. “Houston has never seen a sports bar like Walk-On’s, and I can’t wait to find the perfect site to build and open our first one.”
As for the Super Bowl ties, they come courtesy of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his wife Brittany, who bought into Walk-On's as co-owners last year. "We're not just passive investors," Brees said at the time. "Brittany and I are committed to working closely with Brandon and the team to do whatever we can to contribute to Walk-On's success going forward."
Already, the company has eight locations in Louisiana with plans to build three more. In addition to Houston, Walk-On's will also open stores in Tyler and Lubbock. For his part, Landry adds that he's confident he's found the right partner in Hargrave for helping Walk-On's grow.
"I’ve known Brandon for a long time and I know how passionate he is about our brand,” added Landry. “Houston is a great sports town and Houstonians have always loved good Cajun food, so I have no doubt Walk-On’s will be welcomed with open arms – and healthy appetites!