Today we’d like to introduce you to Vickey Shelton.
Vickey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been a franchisee with Mrs. Winners for over 20 years. I choose Mrs. Winners for a very simple reason, I loved the food and knew it would be a product that I could be proud to serve. In the Atlanta area, we were surrounded by 184 Corporate owned Mrs. Winners. However, in 2007 Mrs. Winners corporate Filed bankruptcy and I found myself as the only Mrs. Winners in the Atlanta Area. It was a very rough period for us. We faced closing our doors and losing our lifetime investment. Through perseverance and an “I will not give up attitude,” we started to grow our sales again. In 2012, a new chapter opened when John Buttolph took over the brand and started to rebuild Mrs. Winners. In 2017, we opened our second location in McDonough, GA.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, not a smooth road, but what business is. You can talk with any business owner and we all face the same challenges: employees, finances, and customers satisfaction. However, I never thought about my Franchisor filing Bankruptcy. We had to learn how to market, purchase and grow our customer base. We used social media to let our customers know that our doors were still open.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mrs. Winners Chicken and Biscuits – what should we know?
Mrs. Winners is a southern classic. We love good southern food like fried chicken and sweet tea. We love our customers and make them feel like guest around our grandmother’s Sunday dinner table. We love our employees and know that each one is special and unique. As an owner, I would not have the business I have today without my wonderful staff, I treat each one with respect and gratitude. What sets us apart from others? I think it is our history. Eating at Mrs. Winners seems to remind people of fond family memories. We take people back to their childhood, our guest has stories they love to tell, of how special events always included a dinner from Mrs. Winners. We are a loved, brand built on family tradition.
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