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Feature Article, August 2006
Expansion Is Elementary
Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub & Grill, a British-themed restaurant, plans to open new locations in in-line shopping centers.
Susan H. Fishman
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The interior of Sherlock’s Baker St. is designed to look like Sherlock Holmes’ library.
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Shoppers in the mood for a taste of Britain may soon have a new pub to escape to. But Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub & Grill is not just another British-themed pub; it’s the second evolution of the original Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub in the Westchase Business District in Houston. With 16 locations, the company plans to expand by two to four additional locations per year.
The pub’s evolution started with Edgar Carlson and Larry Martin, principals of Hospitality USA, which was formed to design and manage multiple, full-service restaurants and pubs. The duo, who worked together in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years, had the opportunity to buy the original Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub in 1995. The original location had been in business for 18 years, but the owner, a British ex-patriot, decided that Carlson and Martin were the right chaps to carry on the English pub’s tradition.
“We started to study the pub business,” says Carlson. “We met with some people from Guinness, and it intrigued us to further some trips to the U.K. to learn more about different styles of pubs and what they do for the area.”
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Inside Sherlock’s Baker St.
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Modeled after Sherlock Holmes’ study, Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub is a multi-room venue, featuring a social pub, a live music pub, a game room and a patio. The pub offers cozy nooks filled with overstuffed leather chairs. The game room features billiards and true English steel-tipped darts, and the entertainment room offers live music every night — and never a cover charge.
The first evolution of the concept, 221B Baker St. Pub and Grill, is a 6,500 square-foot pub modeled after Sherlock Holmes’ 221B Baker St. apartment home in London. Amidst the dark wood paneling, antiques and “Holmesian” odds and ends is a full-service kitchen. The grill offers signature British favorites, including Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash and Shepherd’s Pie as well as regional favorites, such as burgers, soups, salads and sandwiches. The pub is complete with a large selection of draught beers and ales, wines and signature cocktails.
The second evolution, Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub & Grill, is a natural blending of the first two concepts. The 9,000 square-foot Pub & Grill combines a full menu and full-service bar; state-of-the-art audio and video systems, live entertainment, traditional games of skill, including billiards and steel-tipped darts; and a late-night dining alternative.
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Sherlock’s Baker St. is looking to open units in strip centers.
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“Lately, we’ve really developed our menu and now have an in-house chef,” notes Martin.
Carlson and Martin have been very hands-on in the evolution and design of the concept, says Carlson.
“We never rubber stamp a location,” he says. “Each one has a unique feel; it’s built specifically to that space. It probably costs a little more money but, in the long run, it gives the restaurant its own unique feel for the area so the customers can take ownership of that location.”
The restaurant area of Sherlock’s is warm and inviting and features a stage, pub chairs and wood tables and a very prominent oak bar. The dining area has cozy booth seating and a variety of different pub chairs and tables, as well as a pub bar. And the patio has cast-aluminum chairs and tables with umbrellas and a variety of greenery and pottery.
“The original owner was an antique dealer of British antiques,” notes Carlson, “so we were very fortunate when we got the first Sherlock’s to have a good example to continue the expansion of the concept.”
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Inside Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub & Grill.
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Sherlock’s currently has 16 locations — eight in Houston, four in Dallas, one in San Antonio, Austin, Denver and Oklahoma City. The most recent opening was the company’s fifth Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub & Grill location in Caruth Plaza in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
“We chose that area of Park Lane and Central because of the mixed-use urban lifestyle center, Park Lane Place, going in right across the street,” says Carlson. “They’re spending about $500 million in that development — it will have the largest Whole Foods Market, the Valencia hotel, and office and condominium developments. Across from that is Northpark Center, the Number 1 mall in Texas, as well as a number of medical and office towers in the area.”
Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub & Grills are mostly located in in-line shopping centers, and there are a number of locations adjacent to large hotels or convention hotels.
“We’ve been a very good addition to those centers for a lot of business travelers who want to share a pint at the end of a long business meeting,” says Carlson. “It’s a great place for conversation.”
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Hospitality USA’s principals, Edgar Carlson (left) and Larry Martin (right).
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“In Houston and Dallas, we have a great reputation for driving foot traffic,” Martin adds. “Lifestyle center operators need foot traffic at all times of the day to get that urban feel, and we’ve been able to provide that for our landlords. We’re also a great addition because we peak at midnight with our late night entertainment, so when everyone else is closed, we can still bring activity into a center.”
Hospitality USA plans to open between two to four new pub locations per year — about 50 percent 221B Baker St. locations to 50 percent Sherlock’s locations, with growth in Denver, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia. The company plans to reach 20 to 22 locations by the end of 2007.
©2006 France Publications, Inc. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from France Publications, Inc. For information on reprints of this article contact Barbara Sherer at (630) 554-6054.
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