By Diane M Carey
Colt's Pig Stand will open late this year in the Indian River Village Shopping Center in New Smyrna Beach, the third one in Volusia County.
The newest Colt’s Pig Stand will be opening in New Smyrna Beach in late December or early January.
There are already two Pig Stand barbecue restaurants in Volusia County, one in Orange City and one in Ormond Beach.
Eric and Diane Holm, who live in New Smyrna Beach, own all three restaurants. In fact, they also own franchises for 22 Golden Corral restaurants, including one in Port Orange as well as owning seven Peach Valley Cafe restaurants with an eighth one under construction in Maitland. They own three Peach Valley Café’s in Volusia with two in Ormond Beach and one in Port Orange.
The couple have been co-CEOs of Metro Corral Partners for 26 years, one of the largest restaurant franchise holders in the country. They operate restaurants in both Florida and Georgia, employing 2,000 workers with about 300 in Volusia.
Colt’s Pig Stand began as Daytona Pig Stand in 2006. Mr. Holm changed the name three years ago so they could expand to other cities and to honor his six-year-old grandson Colt Payne.
As to Colt’s Pig Stand in New Smyrna Beach, the project began in October 2020 but was delayed because of some needed repairs to the building, which is in the Publix shopping center at 723 E. Third Ave. Mr. Holm stated they are looking to put a Peach Valley Café in New Smyrna Beach as well.
Metro Corral had to close 41 restaurants March 16, 2020, due to the pandemic.
“It had a deafening effect on us,” he said. “We lost 11 restaurants that were older restaurants we chose not to reopen when we got to reopening. (But) sales have rebounded very nicely and we are up significantly over 2019. The Peach Valleys and Colts were closed for 10 weeks and we’re up significantly over 2020 on the reopening there. The second wave of Covid has an effect, but it’s really not that measurable because I think a lot of folks have the vaccine.”
He added the Golden Coral restaurants are doing well, too.
“We have a very sturdy customer base there. We’re (also) most proud of taking a job and turning it into a career,” Mr. Holm said. “You can count on great service, great food, clean atmosphere; a nice place to go at a reasonable price.”
As to the food services worker shortage, he said, “We were blessed with an outstanding team, the best team in America before we closed. When we started reopening, we had a lot of loyal crew that worked for us that came back. So, you had a challenge, but not a great challenge.”
He added the market has driven prices up so there are price increases for meals. He acknowledged voters voted in wage increases starting this month that particularly effect food servers, who he said will get a 23.9% increase per hour over what they currently do. With the new wages plus tips, these jobs will become much more attractive to job seekers.
But wholesale prices for beef, for example, have also gone up and so diners will see price increases in their meals.
“You are just going to pay more for everything,” Mr. Holm said. “The same kind of price increases you see in supermarkets, you are going to see in restaurants.”
More restaurants will be forthcoming, he said. “We’re continuing to open restaurants because we like creating opportunities for others.”
Mr. Holm grew up in the food industry, starting out as a bus boy at age 15 as his mother was a waitress. He bought his first restaurant 45 years ago.
Source: Hometown News
