Lauren Coulter, co-founder of Biscuit Belly, joins The Lou Review to share how a Louisville breakfast concept she started with her husband Chad turned into a company acquiring 35 Maple Street Biscuit Company locations from Cracker Barrel, tripling its footprint and setting a course for 60+ restaurants by 2028.

Lauren walks through her path from pharmacist to restaurateur, the entrepreneurial journey through Uptown Art and Louvino, launching Biscuit Belly right before COVID hit, and the behind-the-scenes hustle of pulling off one of the biggest local acquisitions in Louisville's food scene.

Find a Biscuit Belly near you: ⁠https://biscuitbelly.com/⁠

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Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro: welcoming Lauren Coulter, co-founder of Biscuit Belly
0:41 – Biscuit Belly's history and the Maple Street Biscuit Company acquisition (35 locations from Cracker Barrel, tripling footprint, path to 60+ restaurants by 2028)
1:07 – Lauren's journey from pharmacist to restaurateur
3:43 – How Lauren and her husband Chad got into entrepreneurship, starting with Uptown Art (Louisville's first paint-and-drink concept)
5:34 – Opening Louvino wine bars and growing to 5 locations
6:25 – The idea to launch Biscuit Belly and early inspiration from other biscuit brands
7:30 – Opening Biscuit Belly in December 2019, Lauren leaving her healthcare job right as COVID hit
8:09 – Navigating the pandemic's impact on the restaurant business and team
9:47 – The origin story of The Lou Review podcast during 2020
10:58 – Selling Louvino to focus fully on Biscuit Belly
13:05 – Why the breakfast concept suits their family and team members better (quality of life, retention)
15:01 – The Maple Street Biscuit Company acquisition process: timeline, hustle, and behind-the-scenes challenges
17:04 – Visiting every acquired store to build trust with new teams
18:16 – Transitioning point-of-sale/technology systems across dozens of stores
22:15 – What Maple Street does well and where Biscuit Belly sees opportunity (vibe, atmosphere, guest connection)
23:57 – The "Suzanne" story: Lauren undercover as a new employee at a Maple Street location
26:34 – Louisville's food & beverage scene and its role in Biscuit Belly's growth
30:36 – Advice for local founders dreaming of expanding to multiple locations
34:05 – Closing thoughts on Louisville's business community and food scene
34:28 – Where to find Biscuit Belly online and what's next (new locations opening this fall)
34:58 – Outro and sign-off

🎙️This podcast highlights powerful conversations around business, branding, entrepreneurship, and community stories from Louisville and beyond.We feature inspiring founders, creatives, and leaders sharing real insights, growth strategies, and behind-the-scenes journeys.

🔹 Topics Covered:- Business Growth & Marketing

- Branding & Creative Strategy

- Entrepreneurship & Startups

-Local Louisville Stories & Culture

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