Philippe Theodore, 32, and Jason Rappaport, 31, are the first and largest franchisee owners in the
World of Beer
family. Expanding on the concept started by Scott Zepp and Matthew
LaFon, who purchased exclusive rights to the name World of Beer,
Theodore and Rappaport just opened their first WOB off of 4th St. in
St. Petersburg, and will open another location in mid-December in
Tampa Palms.
The duo expects to open 8-10 more locations over the next few years,
possibly in Brandon, South Tampa, Clearwater and North Pinellas.
"I
lived in Europe for almost five years and was intrigued by the pub and
cafe culture. The neighborhood-like establishments. World of Beer is a
reincarnation of a European pub with an American feel," Theodore says.
With
over 500 selections of beer from around the world, Theodore expects the
locations in St. Petersburg and Tampa Palms to become popular hangouts
much like the original location in Westchase.
"Beer has
uniting properties. It's an inclusive beverage that brings together
people from different walks of life," Theodore says.
The two
locations have hired 30 employees who have all been initiated with a
week-long "Beer School" to learn about the origins and brewing history
for all of the beers. Theodore and Rappaport have added food to their
locations, which is a new feature to the World of Beer. Each location
will have an in-house chef and a select beer bites menu.
Nancy Vaughn, a Tampa-based writer, enjoys meeting new talent and discovering (and inspiring) new ideas. Comments? Contact 83 Degrees.
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