A slider chain backed by former NFL quarterback Drew Brees hopes to open a new Beachwalk-area location in May as it continues its Northeast Florida expansion.
Smalls Sliders is planning its latest “Can” restaurant at 1545 W. County Road 210 in St. Johns across from the Fountains at St. Johns.
The company will mark the upcoming location with a ceremonial “Can Drop” Tuesday at 9 a.m., an event where the brand places its compact, brightly colored restaurant structure on site.
Smalls Sliders operates out of a roughly 750-square-foot shipping container-style building, known as a “Can.”
The St. Johns restaurant is being developed by DPC Sliders, a franchise group that already operates several locations across the state and is planning more.
The group has opened two restaurants in Ocala, one in Fort Walton Beach, and another in Tallahassee.
Smalls Sliders specializes in cheeseburger sliders, along with seasoned waffle fries and milkshakes.
The chain was founded by restaurateur and former LSU basketball player Brandon Landry and has attracted investment from Brees and others.
The pair have also teamed up on another chain with a St. Johns outpost, Walk-On Sports Bistreaux at Durbin Park.
The Purdue Boilermaker emerged as a star with the New Orleans Saints and led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2010.
The brand noted that the St. Johns outpost plans a charitable partnership with Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit that protects wetlands.
