When Jeff Bryant Sr. and his two sons, Jeff Jr. and Justin, were looking to buy a franchise, they wanted a new fresh-food option for their Clarksville, Tennessee, community and a way to work together. By Patty Horansky
When Jeff Bryant Sr. and his two sons, Jeff Jr. and Justin, were looking to buy a franchise, they wanted a new fresh-food option for their Clarksville, Tennessee, community and a way to work together.
“Too often when life gets busy, and you need a quick meal, you see that it is hard to find something both quick and healthy,” Bryant said. “We knew we could change that, but we didn’t know exactly how.”
In August 2021, the Bryants were introduced to Island Fin Poké. Co-founded by Mark Setterington in 2016, the fast-casual restaurant serves Hawaiian-style poké bowls in a surf-shack setting that exudes a sense of ’Ohana, or family.
“The feeling of belonging was instant,” Bryant said. “That’s what we wanted – a way to bring healthy food to Clarksville while making everyone who enters feel like family.”
The Bryants also wanted to honor Jeff Sr.’s late wife, Debbie, who loved her family and the beach and had traveled with them to Hawaii.
The restaurant, which offers homemade gluten-free sauces, 25 toppings and healthy, sustainably sourced raw fish served atop rice or spring mix, is scheduled to open late this year.
“This is a family business through and through,” said Bryant, who will oversee daily operations. While Jeff Sr.’s sons and daughters-in-law have full-time jobs, they will be at the helm of key roles during their downtime.
Jeff Jr. will serve up bowls, and his wife, Chelsea, will handle social media and hire and train team members. The couple’s 13-year-old daughter, Riley, has practiced building bowls as well, ready to take on the family legacy.
Justin, and his wife, Sarah, are ready to step in and build a bowl when needed. Their daughters, Charlsie, 11, and Maelee, 7, are likely to become excellent employees one day.
The Bryants are the first in their city to open a poké bowl restaurant, and they hope to add more. “It really seems like the people of Clarksville and surrounding areas want fresh, new, exciting food options, and we can provide that,” Bryant said.
From training and support to connections with other Island Fin Poké franchisees, the Bryants have experienced true ‘Ohana.
“We are all here for each other, just as family should be,” Bryant said.
Patty Horansky