Drew Brees-backed restaurant inks Metairie lease

Photo courtesy Smalls Sliders

Smalls Sliders, a restaurant concept focused on cheeseburger sliders, has signed a lease for its newest location at Clearview City Center in Metairie.

According to a news release, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is an investor in Smalls Sliders as well as a franchisee of the four-unit agreement. Jason Loerzel and Ben Smith, Brees’ franchise partners and former college football teammates, will also join him as co-owners. The Metairie location was first announced in May 2022, with no timeline or specific location.

Smalls Sliders in Metairie is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2023. The mixed-use complex at Clearview City Center “signifies the appeal of the brand to premier shopping center developers,” the news release reads. The new restaurant will be added to a “packed fourth quarter” for the franchsie, with openings slated for Louisiana in Lafayette, West Monroe, Gonzales and a fifth location in Baton Rouge.

“I invested in Smalls Sliders because I love not only the food, but the overall experience the brand brings to its guests,” Brees said. “Smalls Sliders’ contagious, community-driven culture drives its strong unit economics, and my partners and I are thrilled to take part in that at the franchisee level, too.”

Joining Brees, Loerzel and Smith, Melissa Kernaghan will oversee the restaurant’s team of employees and manage the day-to-day activities as the Metairie location’s operations director.

“Clearview City Center has undergone a significant transformation over the past several years, with our vision for a premier mixed-use destination in Metairie quickly becoming a reality,” said Thomas Richards, Clearview City Center managing partner. “Our focus for this development has been to bring in unique, hot concepts with national appeal like Smalls Sliders, and we’re ecstatic to have our very own Can for our visitors, tenants and residents to enjoy.”

Smalls Sliders currently has locations open throughout Louisiana, including Baton Rouge (Bluebonnet and Nicholson), Prairieville, Thibodaux, Shreveport, Slidell, Denham Springs and Marrero.

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