Bill Burton, majority stakeholder in Willy Taco, Flock Shop, and Fr8yard, has sold nearly all shares to its leadership team.
His 46-year career in food and beverage includes executive roles at Spartan Foods, where he was president of Quincy’s Family Steakhouse; Café Enterprises, which was better known as Fatz; and Hub City Hospitality, the parent company of Willy Taco. He was named South Carolina’s Restaurateur of the Year in 2003.
The ownership group will now be led by President and CEO Chris Olson, along with Eric Holman, Kenneth Cribb and John Trone. Holman and Cribb were part of the opening team that turned a second-generation restaurant at 930 E. Main St. in Spartanburg into one of the Upstate’s hot new places to eat in 2013.
A second location opened in Greenville near the intersection of East Washington Street and Laurens Road, helping to establish Midtown as its own dining destination. The group invested heavily to save the 1939 Feed and Seed retail building, though they did not own the land. At least 25 acres of Laurens Road is held by Lullwater Syndicate, according to county records dating back to 1934. It was named Willy Taco Feed & Seed to commemorate the building’s origin story.
Restaurants from other markets such as Charleston’s Home Team BBQ and Asheville’s Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack scouted the same commercial stretch because of Willy Taco Feed & Seed’s early success. As the twisted cantina concept took off, similar spots sprouted up to meet what felt like an insatiable demand for a la carte tacos, such as Tipsy Taco and Cantina 76. In fact, Greenville will have its first Taco Boy very soon. The well-received Folly Beach restaurant group will also open on Laurens Road.
Burton shared that he planned to sell from day one.
“We partnered with a group of entrepreneurs and restaurateurs to develop and operate a fun, fresh, high-energy concept, Willy Taco, and together we’ve built a brand and culture we’re very proud,” he said. “The time is right to turn it over and let them run it.”
Hub City Hospitality employs 450 people with stores in Spartanburg, Greenville, Boiling Springs, Easley and Simpsonville.
“Bill’s vision for a best-in-class culture has been the bedrock of our success,” new CEO Olson said. “Our people rely on us to provide great places to work, and nothing gets us more motivated than spreading the Willy Way.”
