A hot dog, barbecue and axe-throwing restaurant has closed its location in The Villages less than eight months after opening, with the former owners citing a franchise business model that leaves franchisees with heavy start-up costs and minimal profits.
Crave Hot Dogs BBQ and Beer has officially closed its location at Rolling Acres Plaza. Owned by Amanda and Philip Jones, the couple opened the restaurant last October.
The restaurateurs also closed a second location in Ocala, which has now been reopened and closed by three different franchisees since August 2023.
In a statement posted on the doors of the Ocala location, the owners stated that they didn’t believe the location would be successful.
“While we wish the best to any franchisee that comes in after us, we don’t foresee this establishment being successful long-term,” reads the statement from the Joneses. The couple goes on to say that only the “franchise is making any money” and that franchisees are investing “personally” to pay the franchise and set up the store.
The couple says they don’t want potential restaurateurs to face the same hardships and burdensome startup costs that they are still addressing.
“This is not a reflection on anyone that may come in to run this store after us, and if we have the opportunity to warn them of the risk they run with this franchise, we absolutely will,” reads the statement from the Joneses.
The Crave restaurant chain was founded in 2018. Last year, Ocala-News.com reported that more than ten other Crave franchises across the country had opened, closed, reopened, and re-closed again in short time spans.