Austin's Tumble 22 fried chicken restaurant sold, expansion planned

Matthew Odam, Austin American-Statesman
·2 min read

Get ready to see more Tumble 22 locations in Austin and beyond.

Restaurant investors Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. (BRS) and Rosser Capital Partners have purchased the company founded as a food trailer by Austin restauranteurs Larry Foles, Guy Villavaso and Salty Sow chef-partner Harold Marmulstein in 2017, according to a news release from the new owners.

More:Popular fried chicken truck Tumble 22 opening restaurant in North Austin

Foles, who would not disclose the terms of the deal, told the American-Statesman that he and his partners will be investors in the new ownership group but sold in order to spend more time with their other restaurants, such as ATX Cocina, which they opened with chef-partner Kevin Taylor in 2017; Red Ash, their pasta-and-steak restaurant partnership with chef-owner John Carver; and their latest, modern Mexican restaurant Bulevar.

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Former Texas Roadhouse COO Doug Thompson will serve as the CEO for the new ownership group, which plans to expand beyond the current five locations in the Austin area, according to industry outlet Restaurant Business. The New York-based BSR and Connecticut-based RCP portfolios have included California Pizza Kitchen, Logan’s Roadhouse, Golden Corral and Au Bon Pain.

Foles told the Statesman that the move is a growth opportunity for key members of his restaurant team.

"BRS' and RCP's partnership, knowledge of the restaurant industry, and capital support will be invaluable in helping Tumble 22 build upon its success in the emerging hot chicken space and develop its brand across a broader geographic area," Foles said in a statement.

This isn't the first time Foles and Villavaso have started restaurants that people wanted to duplicate and expand. They rode the Southwestern craze of the late 1980s to success with Z’Tejas; elevated Austin’s seafood-steakhouse game with Eddie V’s in 2001, before selling the eight locations for $59 million to Darden Restaurants in 2011; and capitalized on fancy burger fascination with Hopdoddy, which has been in growth mode since taking on investment backing from private equity firm L Catterton in 2014.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin's Tumble 22 fried chicken restaurant sold, expansion planned