Drew Brees is moving the ball forward in his second career as a restaurateur. The New Orleans Saints quarterback and his wife Brittany have become co-owners of Walk-On's Enterprises, with the goal of expanding a chain of popular Louisiana sports bars.
Walk-On's Bistreaux and Bar was founded in Baton Rouge in 2003 by two former LSU basketball walk-ons. Brees doesn't exactly mesh with that theme since he's a Super Bowl MVP quarterback. But he's essentially been a walk-on in the restaurant business.
Brees also owns several Jimmy John's sandwich franchises throughout the New Orleans area and plans to keep expanding that chain as well.
Walk-On's was once selected as the best sports bar in North America in a contest run by ESPN Mobile. There are now four locations in Southern Louisiana, including one down the street from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, with two more on the way.
"We see opportunities beyond the local success and the local notoriety," Brees said, according to the New Orleans Advocate.
Updated: Brees held a news conference later Wednesday to announce his new business venture. When asked why he's such a fan of the food businesses, Walk-On's co-owner Brandon Landy interjected, "Because he eats three meals a day." Brees then replied, "Probably seven, actually."
Landry said Brees was the one who first approached him about the idea of partnering up, and he considered it an obvious win-win.
"When you talk about putting his brand with our brand, all of a sudden that gives you instant credibility nationally," Landry said.
