BATON ROUGE, La., July 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Smalls Sliders, the hyper-focused cheeseburger slider drive-thru concept backed by Walk-On's founder Brandon Landry and former NFL Quarterback Drew Brees, opened their first location in September 2019 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Joe Lewis joins the team as the brand's first CEO ahead of a strategic ramp up to launch the brand's franchise program across the Gulf South. "Joe's experience in building franchise icons and expertise in franchise relations make him the perfect fit to assume the reins ahead of our expansion," said Jacob Dugas, co-founder of Smalls Sliders.

"I am excited about this unique opportunity to work with a quality veteran franchise ownership group who have made a commitment to grow the brand from the ground up the right way," said Lewis. "This team understands the focus must be on building a culture of people first, franchise support and profitability. The result of this focus is already showing in impressive unit economics from their first location. I was also drawn to the founding teams' enthusiasm for building a company that impacts people's lives, from their team members, to franchise owners to the community. We want to use these small burgers to make a big difference in peoples' lives across the country," added Lewis.

Lewis most recently served as CEO of Twist Brands, the dominant franchise leader in the growing Arts & Crafts as entertainment industry with over 380 locations in the United States and internationally, including Painting with a Twist, America's original and largest paint-and-sip franchise brand; Color Me Mine, the originator in contemporary paint-your-own ceramics and Chesapeake Ceramics, a leading global ceramics supplier. The company added over 160 franchise locations through M&A activity and organic growth in less than 2 ½ years under Lewis' leadership.

Prior to serving as CEO at Twist Brands, Lewis was Vice President and General Counsel at Smoothie King Franchises. Lewis joined Smoothie King when the brand had 39 stores and served as President, CEO, General Counsel and on the Board of Directors during his tenure. He was an integral part of the company's growth to over 950 stores globally.

Smalls Sliders has had a powerhouse of entrepreneurs behind it from conception and is looking for like-minded restaurant operators with a passion for building culture and community. As the brand begins its strategic ramp up, they are targeting 12 markets and building an interest list now of select applicants. Those markets cover the Gulf South and include Alexandria, Beaumont, Hattiesburg, Houma/Thibodeaux, Houston, Jackson, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Mobile, Monroe, New Orleans and Shreveport.

Interested applicants should send their qualifications to [email protected] to be added to the interest list.

About Smalls Sliders
Smalls Sliders was the brainchild of Brandon Landry, founder of Walk-On's, and co-founder Jacob Dugas. They were joined by a team of experienced entrepreneurs including NFL star Drew Brees, LSU Professor Scott Fargason and veteran franchise executive, Joe Lewis. The QSR restaurant sweats the small stuff and cooks every meal to order, focusing exclusively on craveable, premium cheeseburger sliders. The restaurant features a unique c-can design, allowing for a quick construction turn-around. Smalls Sliders is drive-thru but also has a popular walk-up experience with outside seating only. The first Smalls Sliders is located at 4343 Nicholson Drive, right across from Tigerland in Baton Rouge. Smalls Sliders champions a unique culture by using SMALL burgers to make a BIG difference.

Media Contact: Katherine LeBlanc, [email protected]

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SOURCE Smalls Sliders