Bagger Dave’s To Debut In Cape Girardeau

By: Bagger Daves | 1 Shares 1,048 Reads

June 07, 2012 // Franchising.com // Cape Girardeau, Mo. - The anticipated opening of Bagger Dave’s Legendary Burger Tavern in Cape Girardeau is finally here. The unique, full-service, ultra-casual restaurant and bar concept will officially open at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 10 in the Town Plaza shopping center at 2106 William St.

The Cape Girardeau location will be the first Bagger Dave’s to open outside the state of Michigan and is one of six franchised locations slated to open over the next five years by local business partners Bill Zellmer and Lonnie Griggs. Like the other locations, the Cape GirardeauBagger Dave’s will offer a warm, welcoming neighborhood atmosphere and memorable guest service. The restaurant, which features full table service and a bar serving local craft beers and wine, will dish up fresh, never-frozen, premium beef-blend burgers on three different types of buns with a choice of Bagger Dave’s 30 Meaningless Free Toppings®, letting patrons create their own legendary beef, all-natural ground turkey, or veggie black bean burgers.

“We’re looking forward to bringing the Bagger Dave’s experience to the wonderful community of Cape Girardeau,” Zellmer said. “The food and atmosphere are dynamite, and it will fill a niche for a quality full-service burger joint in the area. It will be a welcome alternative to mainstream counter-service burger restaurants.”

Zellmer and Griggs, veterans of the restaurant industry and well-known faces in the local community, have the multi-unit restaurant management experience it takes to run a successful string of franchised restaurant locations. Zellmer, who studied business management at Southeast Missouri State University, bought his first franchised Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW)location in Cape Girardeau in 2001, and it opened the following year. He now owns two locations of his own and co-owns four with Griggs, who is director of operations for all six locations.

Searching for a new restaurant franchise concept that would complement their BWW endeavor, the brothers-in-law learned about Bagger Dave's through Michael Ansley, president, CEO and chairman of Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc., the owner/operator and franchisor of Bagger Dave’s and a leading franchisee of BWW. In November 2011, the business partners signed on to open the six first ever-franchised locations. Aside from the first restaurant slated to open in Cape Girardeau, new locations are planned for Carbondale, Ill., Paducah, Ky., Bowling Green, Ky., Evansville, Ind. and Clarksville, Tenn.

About Bagger Dave’s

Ansley founded Bagger Dave’s in 2008. In addition to its seven company-owned restaurants in Michigan and the franchised units slated to be opened by Zellmer and Griggs, the company is targeting Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Illinois for growth.

Bagger Dave’s menu includes a number of popular burgers, fresh-cut potato French fries, Dave’s Sweet Potato Chips®, Amazingly Delicious Turkey Black Bean Chili® and Sloppy Dave’s BBQ®, as well as sandwiches, salads and hand-dipped milkshakes. Guests can also enjoy a glass of wine or a wide selection of local craft beers from local breweries.

Atmosphere is equally important at Bagger Dave’s. The company has identified a niche in the burger business with a modern interpretation of the old-fashioned neighborhood bar. The restaurants are inviting for adults and kids alike, with localized décor of the town’s historical past displayed throughout, a bar and even an electric train that runs above the dining room and bar areas. For more information, visit www.baggerdaves.com.

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