When the sale of Maple Street Biscuit Company to breakfast behemoth Cracker Barrel was announced last month, we couldn’t help but feel a little sad.
To be clear, we’re certainly happy for the chain’s owners, who got a well-deserved payday for their hard work in building their brand. It’s just unfortunate to lose another local favorite to a national corporation.
The news came around four years after fellow local breakfast chain Metro Diner sold 100% of its intellectual property to ConSul Hospitality Group.
Obviously, there is nothing wrong with national chains; Jax has plenty of them. But when a local restaurant manages to spin off successfully into multiple locations, it’s hard not to root for them to stay local and to retain that “Jacksonville charm.”
In light of that, here are five examples of locally-owned restaurant chains that – at least for now – have continued to be owned and operated in Jacksonville.
Tex-Mex (or “Jax-Mex,” as they call it) chain Burrito Gallery was launched in downtown Jacksonville in 2005 by Gallery Restaurant Group, which consisted of Paul Shockey, Eddy Escriba, Marco Monroy, and Tony Allegretti.
Allegretti is perhaps best-known locally as the mind behind the launch of the monthly Downtown Art Walk. Shockey, Escriba, and Monroy have since left the group and filed litigation against it. Escriba and Monroy now operate Taqueria Cinco in Five Points.
John Valentino, owner of The French Pantry, and Shawn Lednick have since joined the group.
The chain currently has locations in downtown Jax, Brooklyn, Jax Beach, and their most recent addition within Gateway Village at Town Center. Given its popularity, the chain will likely continue adding new locations locally.
Gallery Restaurant Group is headquartered in downtown Jax. In addition to Burrito Gallery, GRG also owns Uptown Market in Springfield.
