Franchise seeks to break out of its shell

Slowly but surely, the Greene Turtle will make its way to the Gulf Coast.

The Greene Turtle is an Edgewater, Md.-based chain that bills itself as “equal parts sports bar and casual restaurant.” Tom Finn, head of franchise development for the company, says the Gulf Coast, especially the St. Petersburg and Tampa areas, are a big target in 2012. “We are in a pretty significant expansion mode,” Finn tells Coffee Talk. “We think the opportunity is very strong in Florida.”

The chain was founded in 1976, initially as a beach joint in Ocean City, Md. It has since grown to become a sports bar haven, down to the TVs that line each booth. The chain is currently mostly in the northeast, with 30 locations in Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. In addition to the Gulf Coast, Finn expects to find Florida franchisees in Orlando and Jacksonville.