by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
World financial markets might not be too stable right now, but one group of local business owners is banking on burritos.
The Burrito Gallery at 21 E. Adams St. continues to develop its brand with the help of non-traditional advertising methods. One of those methods is partnering with the Jaguars to serve its products at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. It’s easy to miss the small Burrito Gallery signs on either side of the El Gato Grande Mexican Grille sign on the lower level of the stadium’s east side. But given an option to hamburgers and fries, people are seeking out the stand the Burrito Gallery is operating for a second season.
“It makes a difference,” said Eddie Escriba, who runs the Gallery with partners Marco Munroy, Tony Allegretti and Paul Shockey. “None of our food is frozen. Everything is made fresh and, given the choice, people are starting to choose the quality food our menu offers over a burger and fries.”
This group of businessmen formed Gallery Restaurant Group, LLC, in 2004 and after establishing the Adams Street location, extended their reach to the stadium in 2007.
“We get a lot of exposure at the stadium,” said Escriba. “We reach a large percentage of the people who don’t normally come Downtown during an event at the stadium. We figured it was a way to reach a different audience.”
He estimated that, financially, the company breaks even with what they spend and what they take in at the stadium, but the exposure is worth it.
The Burrito Gallery is closed on Sundays, so a sign-up sheet is posted for employees who want to volunteer to work at the stadium. Response has been so good from the staff that Escriba has had to rotate employees for the Sunday shift.
“We all meet here at the restaurant and then we get on our bikes and ride down to the stadium,” said Escriba. “It’s really a fun time. Most of the people working here don’t mind when it gets busy and we get in the weeds. We are all kind of adrenaline junkies, so we like the non-stop action.”
The partnership between Burrito Gallery and the team started because Jaguars staff members enjoyed the food at the restaurant and felt it would be a good fit for the organization.
“People in our organization suggested that it was a good concept with a good product,” said Mackey Weaver, executive director of corporate sponsorship. “We approached them about operating a stand and they saw it as an opportunity to extend their brand. It’s been a very successful partnership for the both of us.”
Operating the stand is also a partnership. Burrito Gallery supplies the food and the staff to prepare the food and Ovations, the stadium’s concession management service, supplies the cashiers and the beer servers. After a season behind the counter, Escriba is starting to notice trends from different crowds. The crowds for the college games are “younger” and they purchase a lot of burritos because they are experienced with the fresh fast food. Crowds at Jaguars games and monster truck competitions crave heaping piles of nachos, both the “Macho Nacho,” with chili, cheeses, jalapenos and salsa and the “Cheezy Nacho.”
The stand has been so popular they now have a cart near the Bud Zone to sell burritos and nachos.
The response from customers has been good for Burrito Gallery, but five years ago the group wasn’t so sure how they were going to be received. They decided to test the crowd during the Florida-Georgia game to see what the public thought of their food.
“We had the place framed out inside, but it wasn’t open yet, so we got a permit to sell food in front of the store for the weekend,” said Escriba. “What we heard was, ‘You guys are like Burrito Brothers, which is an institution in Gainesville, but better. It was great.”
The business has more plans for expansion in the near future. A location in Atlantic Beach and a breakfast/lunch restaurant with a market in Springfield are in the plans.
“If you don’t have a good business model, you won’t last,” said Escriba. “You have to have a good plan and enjoy what you do. I haven’t had a day off in two weeks, but if you enjoy what you are doing it’s not really a job.”
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