FSR April 2023

On the Rise

tions. But with an independent, there’s freer thinking, DeSousa says. Broad way Hospitality can go to The Derby, come out with a new container for big ger drinks, and turn it around quickly. Oftentimes Broadway Hospital ity will use independents as a testing ground. “If these things work in this younger demographic that has all this energy, and they’re testing it for us, telling us that they like it, we eventually bring it out to our suburban restaurants, which is Tavern in the Square,” DeSousa says. “So it’s almost like we call them test stores to some degree. That’s [what] makes them so fun and so di erent for us is that we try really wild, fun, creative things in these independents to keep it new and to keep people interested.” In 2023, Broadway Hospitality hopes to open three Tavern in the Square res taurants and reopen The Playwright sometime in December. Going forward, Tavern in the Square will continue to be the leader in growth; none of the inde pendents will add stores. e company is hatching more single-unit concepts for Dorchester and Quincy, Massachusetts. e key attractor, DeSousa says, is that Broadway Hospitality isn’t “five star anything. We’re a casual place to have fun and have a great time.” “We have a lot of great people working for us and have been with us for a long time,” DeSousa says. “And as we con tinue to grow, we add new people. We pride ourselves in being very much in touch with the people that work for us. And one of the biggest things I’ve seen in the growth modes—and I’m CEO/ owner and I’m there every day—is that usually in these big brands, the people making decisions are some guys sitting in an o ce in Dallas, Texas, who have no idea what’s actually happening in the restaurants.” “Because we’re able to do that, we’re able to get information very quickly and make decisions very quickly and be ahead of the curve when it comes to new things and new trends and what’s working,” he adds. “I think that’s what makes us di erent.”

Mercantile serves as a restaurant in the early evening and transforms into an energetic destination late at night. Broadway Hospitality’s fourth inde pendent is e Playwright, which has been around for years in South Boston. It’s currently closed for renovation, and the plan is to rebuild the location from a 3,000-square-foot space to 8,000 square feet. It’s down the street from e Broad way, but the two won’t cannibalize each other. Whereas e Broadway is trendy, sexy, and fun, e Playwright is going to be classic, mature, and darker. It’s a landmark in South Boston, and Broad way Hospitality will keep that intact. ose independents are paired with about one dozen Tavern in the Square restaurants across Massachusetts, Con necticut, and Rhode Island. e method is working, even in the face of a global virus. DeSousa says 2022 was Broadway Hospitality’s best year, with large groups itching to get out and celebrate.

“As we move forward, we’ve followed the model, which we find really great locations, suburbs, and we say, ‘these are perfect for a Tavern in the Square,’” DeSousa says. “People are going to rec ognize it. ey’re going to want some thing that they know, and we open up a Tavern. But when we get into really great cities that are highly dense with really a young, energetic demographic, we create an independent.” “ … We just found in highly dense, urban settings, they want something that seems a little bit more unique,” he adds. “ ey’re looking for that di erent experience. at’s why they tend to go more to the independent route. at was our thought process. at was our strat egy. at’s what we were thinking, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do as we move forward.” e independents also o er Broad way Hospitality the ability to implement many tactics it couldn’t do on a larger scale. For Tavern in the Square to roll out any new food or program, it takes a lot of legwork since there are multiple loca “…as we continue to grow, we add new people. We pride ourselves in being very much in touch with the people that work for us.” THE DERBY FEATURES A LOW-KEY, “HANGOUT-TYPE” VIBE WITH BAR FOOD LIKE BURGERS, WHEREAS THE BROADWAY IS FILLED WITH INNOVATIVE DRINKS IN A LIVELY ATMOSPHERE.

ANDREW LOMBARDOZZI (2)

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FSRMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2023