Show notes
On today's show I sat down with Eddie Sahm, second-generation restaurateur and co-owner of Sahm's Hospitality Group, to discuss growing a family-run Indiana restaurant and catering company across central Indiana. Eddie traces the business from his father Ed Sahm's first Fishers location in 1986, his early work and Purdue hospitality education, and decision at 23 to buy Sahm's Place with an SBA loan, rebuild it through craft beer, streamlined operations, and community events, then sell it back into the company in 2016. He explains scaling into Big Lug Canteen and brewing for margin control, the pivot from Liter House to Half Liter BBQ during COVID, and building "everyday" value-driven community spaces. He also covers management-contract work at Turner's, upcoming openings, and real estate and lease discipline. If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast. You are going to learn about: - Why Eddie Sahm Bought a Family-Owned Restaurant at Age 23 - The Expansion of Sahm's Hospitality Group and New Openings - The Importance of Location for Successful Restaurants Thank you to our partners: Rohrman Automotive Group Elements Financial Check out these great clips from the show: 00:00 Cold Open Teasers 01:15 Guest Introduction: Eddie Sahm 02:08 Half Liter Patio Vibes 03:05 Origins of Sahm's 03:41 Ed Sahm Backstory 05:10 Fishers First Location 05:40 Early Expansion Concepts 06:19 Sahm's Place Community 07:50 Sahm Family Legacy 09:47 Eddie Joins Restaurants 10:42 Purdue HTM Training 12:11 Internships And Hustle 14:12 Career Mindset Advice 15:30 Bartending Lessons 20:50 Buying Sahm's Place 21:58 Craft Beer Turnaround 22:24 Selling Back To Group 23:57 Owning At 23 24:22 Grinding to Rebuild 24:53 Cutting Draft Staples 25:38 Streamlining the Bar 26:37 Growth Metrics and Events 27:43 Community First Culture 28:30 Proving Yourself 30:34 Fresh Ideas in Family Biz 31:42 Why Hire a CEO 32:43 Launching Big Lug Canteen 34:19 Vertical Integration and Margins 37:29 Lease Math for Survival 38:53 Monon Trail Advantage 42:35 Leaderhouse to Half Liter 45:07 COVID Pivot and Closure 47:50 Half Liter Goes Berserk 49:29 Volume BBQ Philosophy 50:39 Community Over Best BBQ 51:08 Catering as Crown Jewel 51:28 Catering as Growth Engine 52:10 Running Turners Downtown 53:26 MGK Pop Up Chaos 57:32 New Concepts and Walkability 58:44 Pride in Family Ownership 01:00:28 All Locations Rundown 01:02:04 Why Indiana Home 01:02:54 Menu Favorites and Tenderloin 01:04:05 Half Liter Blockhouse Plans 01:05:26 Broad Ripple Real Estate Reality 01:08:41 Mamacita Hoosier Latin Vision 01:09:37 Indiana Hidden Gems Picks 01:12:50 Hoosier to Watch Dr. Goggins 01:14:31 Favorite Indiana Memories 01:15:47 Closing Thanks and Sponsors Get IN. is brought to you by our friends at Sweetwater. Whether you are looking to start a podcast or level up your current show you need to hit them up.