Decades after walking through the halls of Marietta High School, local entrepreneur Jef Wallace is still investing in his hometown. With a 20-location development deal for Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux and plans to open restaurants across Georgia and Tennessee, Wallace, who has never lived more than 20 miles from his birthplace at Kennestone Hospital, is blending brand strategy with local roots to bring a new kind of hospitality to the Southeast.
Transferring from Sprayberry High School’s 95% white student body to Marietta High School’s diverse environment during his junior year allowed Wallace to see his community through a new cultural lens. He was amazed at how students of all backgrounds and identities got along. The culture of acceptance stuck with him.
“Much of that culture of mutual respect and acceptance, I believe, was due to the leadership and example of Coach James ‘Friday’ Richards,” Wallace says. “He was a rock, an embodiment of grace, love, and ‘discipline with a hug.’ I always thought I was accepted so easily because I played basketball, but honestly, I wasn’t that great. I was just a Marietta kid, and that was enough. Marietta High, more than any other place in my life, taught me that you could ‘Be Somebody’ right here in your hometown.”
Wallace spent the better part of his career advising some of the world’s most iconic restaurant brands, and he felt a natural pull towards the hospitality industry. When the Chief Development Officer for Walk-On’s, an old colleague of Wallace, introduced him to Walk-On’s in West Cobb, he was immediately drawn to the brand.
“The food was excellent, the story was even better, and the culture reminded me of being on a great team,” Wallace says. “Founded by two walk-ons to the LSU basketball team, the brand is built on grit, humility, and the power of a strong team culture. I could feel it. I was intrigued.”
Wallace purchased the West Cobb location through his company, Port Royal Brands, in January and immediately began work on his flagship location at the Battery, which opened in June.
Until November 2, guests can enjoy a carefully crafted fall food and drink menu that brings southern, Louisiana-inspired flavor to life, perfect for enjoying with friends and family while watching the game. Guests can also enjoy five new shots, a permanent addition to the Walk-Ons menu.
“Personally, I’m a huge fan of our hand-rolled mozzarella logs,” Wallace says. “They’re made fresh daily and are unlike anything you’ll find at another casual dining chain. On the drink side, the fall-inspired shot program has a couple of standouts, but there’s one bourbon-based shot with a spiced apple twist that I think our guests are going to love.”
The business is growing quickly, but Wallace has no plans of slowing down. “In five years, our goal is to have 22 Walk-On’s open and operating across Georgia and Tennessee,” Wallace says. “There may be other brands that join our portfolio, but it’s hard to top this food, this culture, and this connection to home. We’re just getting started, and we’re grateful to be doing it right here, where it all began.”
Visit portroyalbrands.com and walk-ons.com to learn more.