HARRISONBURG VA: (Rocktown Now) – Jack Browns, the burger joint that introduced Harrisonburg to the likes of the Greg Brady, Cobra Kia and other specialty burgers, has been acquired by a Green Shoots Brands, the owners of national chains like Auntie Annes, Cinnabon, Carvel and Little Ceasars.  The Florida investment firm will take control of all 22 Jack Brown locations. 

Jack Browns was founded by two childhood friends, Aaron Ludwig and Mike Saban, who decided to follow through on an idea they first discussed after a bad day at work, according to Ludwig, in describing the start of their restaurant on the Jack Browns website.  

“At the time I was brewing my own beer and he was working as a chef at a restaurant in South Beach Miami. We continually dreamt of ideas around the perfect bar. All we would talk about was decor, the vibe, and the experience that we would provide. Mike and I grew up together and frequented bars. We had a dream of a bar that we never knew existed until that bad day of work, Jack Brown’s was that dream. (Hence the Est. 1985 on one of our logos.)”

According to Green Shoots, Sabin, Ludwig and Jack Brown’s President Jason Owenby will continue to run the company.

Jack Brown’s expanded over the years to 22 locations across including several locations here in Virginia, as well as Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina. Green Shoots says they plan to continue the restaurants expansion in the future.