Franchisee Profile: David Barksdale, franchisee of Cool Springs, Tennessee

Franchisee Since: 2004
Franchise Locations: Cool Springs, Tenn.; Jackson, Tenn.

David Barksdale was first introduced to the Lenny’s Sub Shop brand while working in the commercial real estate industry in Jackson, Tenn. As a commercial real estate owner, one of Barksdale’s tenants was a Lenny’s restaurant owner, who was relocating and looking for someone to sell the business to. In order to keep the restaurant in his building, Barksdale purchased the restaurant and made his entrance into the world of restaurant ownership.

That was about seven years ago, and since then Barksdale has learned a lot about the restaurant business and Lenny’s Sub Shop, opening another location in Jackson, Tenn., three years after he bought his first, and buying an existing location in Cool Springs, Tenn., in early 2011.

What attracted you to Lenny’s?
Before I bought my first store, I met with the corporate office and I felt like there was a really good staff in place. Lenny’s was a relatively new franchise back then, and was still in the process of growing, so this was an opportunity for me to kind of be on the ground floor of a growing operation. I realized that in that type of situation I’d be able to get in the market and do things I couldn’t do with a brand that had been around for awhile.

Once I got into the business and I started to look at the numbers — the sales being generated — I realized how much potential there was in these stores. The capital and the inventory outlays were very attractive, which got me thinking about opening my second location. Aside from the business aspect, I really enjoy being able to interact with customers. It’s nice when you get to know them on a first name basis. That’s probably the most rewarding part.

What are your growth and development plans?
Right now I’m still focused on the store transfer in Cool Springs, where we’ve just about gotten everything where we want it to be in terms of staffing. I spend about two days there each week, working to make sure things are going smoothly. In the future, I’d like to open stores in Williamson County or Davidson County and possibly even Nashville.