How a Toppers Pizza Multi-Unit Franchisee Won in South Dakota

Shane Quail started his career in the restaurant industry washing dishes as a 14-year-old at a mom-and-pop steakhouse in St. Cloud, Minnesota where he grew up. He moved up through the ranks, going from cooking to serving to hosting. As he approached college-age, he decided to study economics at Minnesota State University - Mankato. He took on a management position with Noodles & Co. immediately following college and most recently worked as a manager and market developer at Panera Bread for about nine years.

Quail was always recognized as a great multi-tasker and innovator in his professional career. He had an ability to give attention to many different roles and responsibilities, so he was given the opportunity to oversee six Panera Bread restaurants in Omaha. The brand was trying to expand in the Dakotas, so Quail helped them develop a new method of dough production. They were then able to open five restaurants in about 11 months between Sioux City and Minot, North Dakota. Quail was responsible for hiring, recruiting and assisting with construction oversight.

When Quail met his now-business partner Chad Hatch through a neighbor, the two decided to pursue business together. Combined, they had extensive restaurant and business experience—Hatch had over 15 years of experience in private equity. Quail joined Nordic Venture Partners and helped the team manage multiple Dairy Queen locations before looking for a new opportunity to expand. The group signed a six unit deal with Toppers Pizza and just opened the first location in December 2015.

“We believe that the pizza business is here to stay,” Quail said. “We wanted to invest in something that will be around for years to come and we liked that Toppers hits it out of the park in regards to Millennials. The brand has cool restaurant design and stands out when it comes to culture and attitude.”

After opening the first location at 817 S. Minnesota Ave. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and seeing the brand’s fast-paced success, Quail said it is clear that Toppers is a growth company and can tell that the corporate team encourages franchisees to expand quickly.

“I wanted a business with support and a proven concept,” Quail said. “In my opinion, it doesn’t make sense to reinvent the wheel when there are many options out there that fit what you are passionate about. The additional support in systems, training and construction that a franchise can provide are a huge plus when beginning a new venture.”

The team is already in the process of building their second location on the East Side of Sioux Falls at 3607 E. 10th St. In the coming months, Quail and Hatch will work to sign real estate in Brooking, South Dakota on the University of South Dakota campus and want to identify two more potential locations by end of 2016.

“This isn’t just a business I’m going to be operating, this is going to be fun,” said Quail. “It’s a fun company, a neat culture, and you can tell that people love it.”