Once upon a time, Mike Kern was one of “those corporate guys.” You know the type – the person who spends the majority of their career making someone else’s business successful while secretly wishing to accomplish the same thing on their own some day – and Kern fit the description to a tee but he elected to stop dreaming and start realizing his goals.
The Bristol Herald Courier reported that after serving as a marketing executive for KFC and Long John Silver’s, the latter of which he served as the worldwide chief marketing officer for more than 20 years, Kern decided the time was right to branch out on his own. In 1999, he acquired seven Long John Silver’s restaurants. Today, he has 20 Long John Silver’s and 10 A&W All American Food restaurants throughout the Carolinas and Tennessee. While 30 restaurants may seem like more than enough for the average person, Kern is anything but average: He recently purchased restaurant number 31 – Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina in Bristol, Virginia. The restaurant, which had been closed for three weeks for retraining, reopened this past Monday under Kern’s ownership and with an increased focus on service and hospitality.
“You can get in and out quickly and get a great meal for $6 to $7. I’ve noticed people are moving away from the more expensive, white-tablecloth restaurants during this economic downturn and they’re looking to spend less for a good meal. When a business like this opens, it means jobs – 22 to be exact – and it’s a real bright spot,” said Kern, 51. “Guest service and hospitality – that’s been a mantra for me.” And it will continue to be, as Kern hopes to develop between six and 10 more Salsarita’s restaurants throughout Virginia, Tennessee and the Carolinas over the next five years.
“Mike represents the ideal profile of a multi-unit developer that forms the foundation of Salsarita’s brand strength and we are proud to have Mike and his team on board,” said Salsarita’s president and CEO Paul Mangiamele.
Photo: Salsarita's president and CEO Paul Mangiamele