A family-led franchise group has signed a three-unit agreement to bring The Brass Tap to Middle Tennessee for the first time, with locations planned for Brentwood, Murfreesboro, and Franklin. Leading the group is 23-year-old Ohm Patel, joined by his father Chan Patel, uncle Sanjay Patel, and cousin Shivam Patel — a partnership rooted in a family background spanning more than two decades of U.S. hotel and retail operations.
The Tennessee Opportunity
The deal marks the brand's first footprint in the state. The Brass Tap currently operates more than 50 locations across 16 states under FSC Franchise Co., the Tampa-based multi-brand franchisor that also oversees Beef 'O' Brady's and Newk's Eatery. Chris Elliott, CEO of FSC Franchise Co., called Middle Tennessee a natural fit. "Our development strategy is built on finding the right partners in the right markets, and Ohm and his family are a perfect fit for Middle Tennessee," Elliott said. "We're especially excited to see a young entrepreneur like Ohm build on his family's hospitality legacy as we introduce The Brass Tap to Tennessee for the first time."
The Patel group's entry targets some of the Nashville metro area's fastest-growing suburban corridors — markets that have attracted significant restaurant franchise expansion investment in recent years as population growth outpaces urban core capacity. The plan calls for the Brentwood location to open first, with Murfreesboro and Franklin to follow, though final site selections remain flexible as the group evaluates specific properties.
Format and Operator Implications
Each location will carry The Brass Tap's core format: an extensive roster of local and regional craft beers alongside specialty cocktails, premium wines, and a chef-inspired food menu. Entertainment programming — live music, trivia nights, sports watch parties, karaoke, and community patio events — is central to the concept's suburban tavern positioning and is a key differentiator in markets where craft beer and dining experiences compete with both independent operators and national casual-dining chains.
For Ohm Patel, who graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in kinesiology and business before choosing franchising over a kinesiology career, the agreement represents both a business launch and a family legacy milestone. He and his partners visited an existing Brass Tap in Huntsville, Alabama, and attended Discovery Day at the brand's Tampa headquarters before committing. "This is a family legacy project," he said. "We scraped pennies as kids to build a life for ourselves, and now we are fortunate to be in a position to build this business together."
The signing underscores a broader trend in foodservice franchising: brands with entertainment-driven, neighborhood-tavern formats are finding traction with multi-generational family investor groups who bring hospitality operating experience from adjacent sectors such as lodging and retail. FSC Franchise Co.'s portfolio of more than 250 locations across its three brands gives the Patel group access to shared infrastructure and operational support as they navigate a first-time restaurant opening in a competitive suburban market.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
