He Bought a Restaurant at 23… They Now Own One of Indiana's Biggest Restaurant Groups | Eddie Sahm, Sahm's Hospitality Group

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

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