In 2007, the Hamburger Mary’s franchise system was sold to Dale Warner (owner of the West Hollywood franchise) and brothers Ashley & Brandon Wright (owners of the Chicago franchise). With successful franchise locations of their own and a shared love of the Hamburger Mary’s concept, the three new business partners became instant friends and got to work rebuilding the brand, which had suffered from a series of store closings in the mid-2000′s. Relying on their own experiences as franchisees, they offer extensive support to new Hamburger Mary’s owners in every aspect of opening a new location. They have also been successful negotiating national contracts with vendors and suppliers, adding to the value of owning a Hamburger Mary’s Franchise. Their efforts have resulted in six new locations. More locations are slated to open soon, and the ultimate goal is to have a Hamburger Mary’s in every major city. After all, everyone needs a place to “Eat, Drink, and be… MARY!”
Ashley Wright & Brandon Wright
It’s no coincidence that these identical twins, born the same year as Mary, ended up as partners of the Hamburger Mary’s International franchise. Born in Atlanta and having spent their childhood in the South, Ashley and Brandon both attended Auburn University. After graduating college the two went their separate ways. Ashley traveled the world, putting his fluency in German to use as an international flight attendant. After three years in the air he settled in Washington D.C., where he managed the popular bar/nightclub Cobalt. Meanwhile, Brandon was traveling the world as a chemical engineer for a petroleum research company living in places such as Saudi Arabi, Qatar, Jordan, Slovakia, and Newfoundland, to name a few. Brandon returned to the US and settled in Chicago.
Always knowing that they wanted to go into business with one another, there was no better time for the two to reconnect and make their childhood dream a reality. In 2005, Ashley left D.C. and moved to Chicago. With no Hamburger Mary’s in the Midwest at that point, Chicago seemed like the perfect place to bring Mary. So, in June 2006 Hamburger Mary’s Chicago opened its doors. The location is wildly successful and it is largely due in part to the twins commitment to the brand.
The twins loved Mary so much that they married her (in the business sense that is) in 2007 when they bought the Hamburger Mary’s franchise system with fellow franchisee, Dale who owns the West Hollywood and Long Beach locations. These days, in between opening new locations and visiting existing franchises the hands-on owners stay extremely active at Hamburger Mary’s Chicago. Brandon is the Head Brewer behind Hamburger Mary’s Chicago’s exclusive beers and Ashley is the illustrator behind the art you see on the menus, websites, and posters for many Hamburger Mary’s locations. Their unique flagship Hamburger Mary’s in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago offers not only the traditional Mary’s dining room, but also Mary’s Rec Room sports bar and Mary’s Attic cabaret & nightclub, along with a large sidewalk patio to soak in the short but hot Chicago summers.
Dale Warner
To say this small town boy was like a fish out of water in his rural Virginia hometown would be an understatement. Dale Warner knew from a very early age that the confines of small town America were too much for him. He began planning a way out at age ten. Little did he know at the time that his escape would eventually land him in the arms of a big sassy blonde named Mary as co-owner of the Hamburger Mary’s International franchise.
A serial student, Dale graduated from J Sargeant Reynolds Community College with a degree in Opticianry and then went on to receive a business degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. After his studies, he completed a fellowship at Kellogg Eye Institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was this, that set his path toward Mary. He crisscrossed the United States during his time in the optics field, yet eventually settled in West Hollywood where he decided to venture into business ownership. Hamburger Mary’s West Hollywood (or Weho as the cool kids call it) was up for sale at the time after having been open just over a year. When Dale was introduced to Mary, it was love at first sight. Despite the fact that Hamburger Mary’s Weho was not doing well when he purchased it, Dale saw the potential and amazingly, with no restaurant experience, Dale took on the challenge of turning Mary’s around. He was hugely successful and after just a few years Weho outgrew its space and expanded.
After falling in love with Mary, Dale took the plunge in 2007 and made it official by purchasing the Hamburger Mary’s franchise system with fellow franchisees Ashley and Brandon Wright in Chicago. Between managing the business challenges of this rapidly expanding franchise and overseeing Hamburger Mary’s Weho, Dale found time to open a second Mary’s franchise in 2008. His new Long Beach location, which opened in a space that had previously been a Mary’s as well as several other restaurants, is a successful restaurant by day and hopping club by night. The West Hollywood location features an extravagant VIP party room and is a great place to rub shoulders with celebrities.
