After nearly three decades, Bread Winners Café & Bakery Founders, Jim and Cindy Hughes, have sold the twenty-eight-year-old Bread Winners brand to Josh Bock of Stratega Capital but it’s a dream scenario for the couple, as Bock plans to keep the current management team in place – which includes two of Hughes four children and many long-time employees. Josh will take over not only the four Bread Winners Café & Bakery locations and Bread Winners Catering division, but Uptown’s popular Quarter Bar as well. Harlowe MXM and Henry’s Majestic are not a part of the merger and will remain with the Hughes family.
“Deciding to move on from this concept we’ve poured so much of our lives into was a bittersweet decision, but we felt the timing was right. We are looking forward to spending more time with our grandkids and family, but we will miss our Bread Winners family,” said Jim Hughes.
Bock, whose focus is typically in tech and real estate, was initially interested in the real estate holdings held by Bread Winners and felt that their concepts would be a natural fit for his portfolio given the current growth trajectory in the area. After meeting the management team, Mr. Bock felt he could retain the leadership team and grow Bread Winners into a larger brand name. The current team plans to build on the brunch and catering aspects of the company and expand nationwide.
“I have asked Andrew Popp, Bread Winners current Chief Operating Officer, to lead the charge and implement my strategic direction and growth plan. Bread Winners invented brunch in this town and we are going to dominate the category once again – with some great new additions and concepts.” said Bock.
The restaurant was thought up long before its opening, when the Hughes were young newlyweds in Omaha, Neb. A friend of theirs owned a restaurant that was closing called Bread Winners. Before the couple moved to Dallas they bought the name for $1, with the intent of someday opening their own location. The Hughes settled into their apartment in Uptown (way before it was known as “Uptown”) and noticed a restaurant called Verlaine’s on the corner of McKinney and Hall, whose quirky charm and proximity to downtown sparked their interest. Verlaine’s was in the process of closing, so the Hughes purchased it, made some renovations, and opened for business on July 22, 1994.
The Hughes family lived on the second floor of the Uptown location for the first several years with their young children before moving into a larger space and converting the second floor to office space. All four of their children and both sets of parents worked at the restaurant in some capacity over the last 28 years. Over the years, the concept has become legendary for its brunch selection of “Hangover Elixirs” including Benedicts, French Toast, Pancakes & Waffles, and Scrambles. The cafe now boasts four locations, 330 employees, and corporate catering services. Bread Winners has won hundreds of local awards over the nearly three decades for its menu and bakery items, and developed SoleMates, and organic line of treats for pets.
Locations:
Uptown: 3301 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX 75204, (214) 754-4940
Inwood Village: 5560 W. Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX 75209, (214) 351-3339,
Northpark Center: 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75225, (469) 232-9798
Plano: 4021 Preston Rd, Plano, TX 75093, (972) 312-9300
