Earlier this month, a three-store deal was inked between Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar and Whiskey’s Florida LLC, a subsidiary of Nosnaws Corporation, to bring Big Whiskey’s to South Florida. Nosnaws owns and operates several other concepts in the area, including an IHOP franchise with eight locations. Steve Swanson, president of Nosnaws said of the deal, “we can’t wait for guests to come in and try the food and have a drink at Big Whiskey’s signature bar.”
Nosnaws Corporation with its restaurant development group, NOS Development LLC began looking at Big Whiskey’s in 2019 and went very far into the buying process. The effort was delayed by the opening of its new concept, Walt’s American Grille & Bar in Boca Raton, and the events of 2020. “As soon as we could reopen the conversation to bring Big Whiskey’s to Florida, we did. From the beginning we really believed in the concept and what it could do in the region,” says Steven Swanson. The first location of the three-store deal will open in Broward County by the end of 2022. The additional two stores of the deal will open in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County area quick succession. Additionally, the group already has their sights on expansion to the Tampa and Orlando areas in the near future. Founder and COO Paul Sundy expressed his excitement for the deal by saying, “Florida has been a top priority for us for several years and we’re thrilled to have established this partnership with such an experienced group who continually brings successful concepts to the region. We’ve always felt like we would do great in Florida and now’s our chance to prove it.”
Details of the first Big Whiskey’s location are coming together quickly. NOS Development moved swiftly to secure a prime location at Sawgrass Mills Mall. The space, a 6,300 square foot footprint, formerly held The Knife and will be completely overhauled to suit a Big Whiskey’s. The group has big ideas on how they’ll update the space, including a large open floor plan with a bar at the center and a transitional wall that can be open or closed to create a picturesque view overlooking a nearby lake. The location will feature roughly 230 seats, with a large private dining space, a large bar area and outdoor seating. The first location will look to employ about 60 people.
Big Whiskey’s was founded in Downtown Springfield, Missouri in 2006. The brand boasts a robust menu of bold, flavorful plates with several signature items like the famous Chicken Ranch Alfredo, The Honey Stung Burger, Boom Boom Shrimp Tacos and The Brunch Melt. In addition to the main menu, Big Whiskey’s features a weekday lunch menu, a weekend brunch menu and an extensive drink menu with 120+ whiskeys, including rare and allocated bottles. The diversity of menu items and dayparts lends itself to the “every guest, every time” mantra the brand touts inside its stores. Whether it’s game day, date night, happy hour or an event, Big Whiskey’s prides itself on accommodating every guest’s experience.
