Restaurants & Hospitality Acquisitions in Kentucky

Court Square Capital Partners has made a strategic capital (growth) investment in Five Star Parks & Attractions to support the company's expansion and optimization of its family entertainment center portfolio. Terms were not disclosed; existing shareholders Fruition Partners, Taubman Capital, and management will remain significant minority investors.

Orangewood Partners announced the divestiture of its Kentucky-based Taco Bell franchisee, ABTB. Financial terms were not disclosed; ABTB was formed in 2018 in partnership with Southpaw and grew to operate ~39 Taco Bell locations in the Greater Louisville, Kentucky market before the exit.

Miami-based investment group PG Growth Opportunities Fund I (PGOF I) purchased Louisville-based Wild Eggs from Patoka Capital, acquiring the concept and ownership of its 15 locations across Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. PGOF I plans to keep Wild Eggs' Louisville headquarters and current leadership in place while pursuing regional franchise growth with an initial focus on Lexington, Cincinnati and Indianapolis and an eventual nationwide rollout.

Bowling Green-based Houchens Industries acquired 10 operating Slim Chickens franchise locations and the rights to develop 29 additional Slim Chickens sites across Kentucky from a group led by Tennessee franchisee Harold Wallace. The deal expands Houchens’ Slim Chickens footprint to a total of 42 locations and supports the company’s broader restaurant franchising growth in Kentucky.

Five Star Parks & Attractions, a portfolio company of Fruition Partners, acquired three Malibu Jack's indoor theme park locations in Lexington, Louisville and Ashland, Kentucky. The deal expands Five Star's family entertainment center platform to 16 locations across eight states; Malibu Jack's founders and leadership will remain involved to help develop and open additional parks.

FAT Brands has acquired Fazoli's Group, Inc. from private equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners for an enterprise value of $130 million. Fazoli's, headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, operates nearly 220 franchised and company-owned quick-service Italian restaurants across the United States; the acquisition expands FAT Brands' portfolio of franchised restaurant concepts.

ABTB, a partnership between Orangewood Partners and ABDD Capital, acquired eight additional Taco Bell restaurants in the greater Louisville, Kentucky market and will integrate them into ABTB’s existing portfolio, which now totals 32 Taco Bell locations. Financial terms were not disclosed; Paris Ackerman LLP provided legal advice on the transaction.