Staks Pancake Kitchen to open in Collierville, marking company's first local franchise

Staks Pancake Kitchen is continuing its franchise expansion.

The Bailey Group announced a franchise partnership with Collierville resident Nick Bolander to open a Staks in Collierville. The deal also includes the rights to open a location in Omaha, Nebraska, Bolander's hometown.

Bolander said he is excited about the partnership, adding he has been a fan of Staks Pancake Kitchen.

"I worked in restaurants as a kid and have always had an interest in owning a restaurant," Bolander said."When I learned that Staks was going to franchise, I had a friend introduce me to (Staks Pancake Kitchen owner Brice Bailey)."

Bolander added he thinks Staks will be a good addition to the Collierville dining scene.

"It may be a franchise, but it's something new and fresh that I think Collierville can get excited about," he said.

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A location for the Collierville location has yet to be finalized, but Bailey and Bolander said they are actively looking at options and hope to announce plans soon.

"We hope to be open by next spring," said Bolander, adding they are looking for a slightly larger footprint than the original restaurants (closer to 4,000 square feet) so that they can offer catering and special event rental space as part of the restaurant's operations.

According to Bailey, franchising the concept has been a goal since opening the first location.

“Since opening Staks’ doors in 2015, it’s been a long-term goal of mine to elevate the brand to a national level,” Bailey said. “We think our unique menu and consistently good food, served in a vibrant environment, will resonate with audiences outside of Memphis. It’s a dream come true to expand Staks’ footprint with partners who believe in our mission and vision as a company.”

Bailey said the current three locations open in the Memphis area will be corporate-owned, but any future openings will be franchises. The restaurant has locations in East Memphis, Germantown and Southaven.

The process of franchising the popular breakfast concept, known for such specialties as Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, began in 2021.

"We brought Ashley Haeger on board to be our controller last year. She has done a phenomenal job so we can stay nimble as we expand," said Bailey, adding she now is chief financial officer of the franchise side of the business.

In October 2021, The Bailey Group announced the restaurant’s expansion into the franchising market. That partnership was with Atlanta-based Classics Dining and Hospitality Group to expand its Staks Pancake Kitchen concept outside the Memphis market. According to Bailey, Classics Dining and Hospitality Group will open one to two restaurants a year over the next five years in cities like Atlanta and Birmingham, Alabama.

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Over the past several months, Bailey said he has been expanding the lunch portion of the menu. New additions include gourmet salads, a vegan skillet and an acai power bowl.

The East Memphis location at 4615 Poplar Ave., Suite 102, is set to reopen next week. It has been closed since early April for repairs due to damage from a break-in. Bailey took the time to do some upgrades as well. "When it reopens, it will be better than ever," he said.

Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Staks Pancake Kitchen to open in Collierville and Omaha, Nebraska