Get Ready Mount Pleasant, Because the Davids are Bringing Voodoo Brewing to You!
At Voodoo Brewing Co., we can’t stop–won’t stop–growing to introduce more of our craft beer (thanks to the help of some amazing Franchise Owners) to more of the country! With every new beer pub franchise location, we’re excited to share our food, our brews, and our vibes as we become a local favorite in each community that welcomes us.
So, join us–hopefully with a beer in hand–as we get to know our newest couple of Franchise Owners: Reed and Leanne David! They fell head over heels with the idea of opening their own brewpub, and once they got connected with us, they knew that bringing Voodoo Brewing to their community was the way to do it!
Joining us from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Let’s Meet Reed & Leanne!
How The Davids Met
Reed is originally from South Louisiana, where food and hospitality are the way of life. His Italian and Cajun-French upbringing is the reason he follows the family that came before him in his pursuit to serve others. After a short stint in Texas, he and his family later moved to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where he would spend the rest of his middle and high school years–and eventually–meet Leanne.
Leanne spent her entire childhood in Gatlinburg, with sports dominating her passion and time, her favorites being cheerleading and basketball. As a cheerleader, she rooted for Reed on the sidelines as he played high school football, and today, she often calls herself Reed’s biggest fan and cheerleader in all aspects of life. After 27 years of love, stemming from their high school sweetheart beginning, and 21 years of marriage, the two now share three children–Annalee, Aspen, and Titus–and have built “a Christian family that loves the joy of being together no matter the season or interest.”
Who They Are Today
Professionally, Leanne works as a P.E. teacher, maintains a role as their church’s Children’s Ministry Coordinator, and acts as the “parent Uber” for their children, driving them to and from sports practices and games. This has allowed her to not only maintain her cheerleader role throughout her life but also to play an active role in her eldest daughter’s soccer team and to become the Team Manager.
Professionally, Reed is a General Dentist by trade. He has owned and managed multiple dental practices throughout his career, helping him to tap into his southern hospitality roots to provide and care for those that have placed their trust in him. Throughout his career, he’s recognized the importance of selfless service. He sees the integrity around providing high-quality care as the foundational trait of the business he wishes to build together with his wife.
Today, Reed still refers to Leanne as his bride or girlfriend, much to the chagrin of their teenage daughters and son. Together, their pursuit of happiness and to provide the best life for their family has carried them to Colorado and South Carolina, with the craft beer scene of Colorado and the food scene of the Lowcountry holding special places in their hearts. It’s these things that have brought forward Reed’s desire to share joy and care for others.
Then There Was Voodoo
While Reed is still passionate about his dental practice, it was through conversations with Leanne that made them decide to look for local business opportunities for her to focus on. With their children aging, she was ready to get back into the workforce. The pair has always craved the F&B world and knew a brewpub was the ideal environment for them.
One night, as they were scrolling through the internet, a piece of digital marketing caught their eye and they assumed it was an already established business for sale. So, Reed called the contact listed, and to their surprise, it was a franchise: the Voodoo Brewing craft beer franchise. After a few phone calls, taking in all the info they could about Voodoo, and making some serious moves to start their own business, the couple was attending an Approval Day. From then on, they were hooked!
Leanne quickly realized that this franchise business opportunity would give them an outlet to serve others as they had always dreamed. That, paired with our similar interest and extensive Franchise Owner resources, was the turning point that got the Davids to pull the trigger in taking the next step! Also, it likely helped that their eagerness was complimented by the knowledge that the Voodoo team will be with them every step of the way.
Getting to Know Voodoo Brewery Franchise
The first thing that struck Reed and Leanne was our ‘anti-franchise franchise’ vibe and our community-based concept. In meeting our Voodoo Brewing franchise support team, the Davids appreciated the proven functional systems and supportive network in place to ensure they have the blueprint they need to hit the ground running successfully with their new brewpub business.
“It’s apparent they are all very knowledgeable about all things food, craft beer and fun. They truly desire for all their franchisees to succeed. The team we met were not pushy or prideful. They have been very transparent and attentive to all of our questions. They certainly give off the “treat you like family” vibe. We especially enjoyed the fact that they want us to bring our individuality into the Voodoo concept. Whether it’s through food, beer or community events, they want us to have fun all while being creative as we customize the brand to our locality.”
From their first visit to a franchised Voodoo Brewing location, Reed and Leanne quickly saw what Voodoo brewpub was all about in action. They had the chance to meet with current Franchise Owners and other future Franchisees and got a true glimpse of what it means to be part of the Voodoo family. The perspective they gained about the road and challenges ahead of them helped them recognize that they were on the right path and could visualize the fun and success in front of them with their own Voodoo craft beer franchise.
Sports & Their Everyday Life
Outside of their careers and professional goals, Reed and Leanne love seeing their children grow up and try to share as much time together as possible. Leanne enjoys any outdoor activity with water, especially paddleboarding and anything to do with the beach. You’ll always find her actively playing with and engaged with her family. She’s also recently started developing her green thumb by starting a garden to incorporate fresh herbs in her family’s meals.
On the other hand, Reed–being science-minded–loves the art and science of brewing craft beer. Like Leanne, he also loves the gym and watching his kids play sports, although Louisiana State University holds a place in his heart as his all-time favorite team. Together, the pair enjoy attempting DIY projects (sounds like entrepreneurs in the making to us!), with their latest being a custom, six-tap bar in their own home–complete with a glass washer Leanne lovingly calls the “glass bidet.”
A Life-Long Dream of Business Ownership
While Reed has owned a few dental practices and Leanne has supported him through each, they’re excited about a new journey and for Leanne to dedicate her time to this next venture. The pair has loved serving patients in the healthcare field and has enjoyed showing hospitality to others, so this transition to opening a brewpub feels like the natural next move for them! Launching a company based around their love of service will create a Voodoo brewpub as special as others and will help Reed and Leanne finally see their long-standing dream come true!
Together, the Davids recognize that being a successful business owner means that you must love to serve others. All great business owners do that well. That said, Reed is excited to join forces with passionate people and pursue goals together to achieve great things with their Voodoo brewpub.
Chatting with Reed & Leanne
To celebrate the news of their new franchise, we sat down with our new favorite Mount Pleasant couple for a Q&A. In it, we got to hear directly from them, what has them most looking forward to opening their own Voodoo Brewing Co. brewpub!
“What was the “a-ha” or “lightbulb” moment that made you want to own a franchise with Voodoo Brewing?
Reed & Leanne: “We enjoyed the beer but it was the food that surprised us! It was this elevated pub food that we could totally see our community digging! Being beer snobs (so to say), we wanted peace of mind knowing that the craft beer was just as good as some of the best beer available, including Reed’s [own] – it was.
We wanted to make sure there was more to it than just beer so we could have something for everyone. The food was fresh, flavorful, and very creative. Infusing the beer into the dishes put it over the top. The chef has really put some thought into the menu, making the Voodoo brand way above your normal pub fare.
Voodoo Brewing Co. is unlike any other franchise or brewpub we know. [It’s] thought-provoking and has an eclectic vibe. Most breweries do not choose to incorporate food and have food trucks on [the] property, [but] Voodoo brings flare to their unique menu. And unlike any franchise, Voodoo allows the [Franchise] Owners to make it their own. Great food, [craft] beer, and community are what we see and feel with Voodoo [and] we can’t wait for others to experience it too.
What has been the best part of your experience with the Voodoo Brewing team so far?
R&L: “From the first call with Bill to Approval Day with the team [and] our weekly calls, the experience has been nothing but reassuring that we are doing the right thing by joining the Voodoo Family. We know with their knowledge and expertise to balance our energy and enthusiasm, [so] we can do nothing but succeed. It just provides a comfort that we are not going at this alone is huge. They want to bring us as much success as we want to bring them.”
What do you think will make you successful?
R&L: “We believe our pathway to owner success is simple. Have a lot of fun loving people through great beer, food, [and] excellent service, all while providing an awesome environment where all feel welcome. With Voodoo working alongside us, we can do nothing but succeed!”
What advice would you give to a potential Franchise Owner?
R&L: “Do it! You will go through all the feels – as you should. It’s a huge decision, [but] know that you have a dedicated team that will give you all the tools you need to take the next step and each additional one in becoming a franchise owner.”
What do you look forward to most about owning your own Voodoo brewpub?
R&L: “We’re excited and look forward to every aspect of owning a Voodoo Brewing! From finding that perfect location to creating our own logo, adding Lowcountry flare to our menu, collaborating with the town for events, and enjoying it all with our local community. Overall, what excites us the most is creating a place for the community to gather to enjoy top-notch food and libations. We look forward to meeting others that share that same vision.”
If you see something of yourself in Reed and Leanne’s story and you’re curious about how to follow in their footsteps to become a Voodoo Brewing Franchise Owner – what are you waiting for?! Our ‘anti-franchise franchise’ is the place for badass business owners and craft beer lovers alike to connect with their community and become the beer hero of their neighborhood. When you’re ready to ditch the corporate grind and join our family, contact us to learn everything else there is to love about Voodoo Brewing Co.