Tony Townley, a cofounder of the Zaxbys chain, has joined investors in backing the three-unit George-based Maepole concept.
The Athens, Ga.-based Maepole was launch in 2018 by fine-dining chef Peter Dale, who remains invested in the brand.
“I dined at Maepole to see what it’s all about,” Townley said in an interview. “It was all fresh food, fresh vegetables, fresh proteins. I ate, and about two or three hours later instead of feeling lethargic and sleepy and no energy it was all the opposite.”
Maepole has two units in Athens and one in Atlanta.
The menu, created by Dale of Athens’ National fine-dining restaurant and Condor chocolates, features customizable bowls as well as plates such as the Boxcar, which features sweet potatoes mashed with coconut oil, mac & cheese, green beans and onions, pork, and a sriracha vin sauce. Additions include the brand’s own “Crunchies” topping as well as chow-chow, kimchi, half an avocado, or a hard-boiled egg.
“Maepole is just fresh food customizable and healthy,” Townley said. “Our team kind of wants to help people eat well and live well.” He said the menu appeals especially to millennials and Generation Z.
“We’re wanting to fill in over the next year some spots between Athens and Atlanta and then hopefully sometime in 2026 move toward franchising,” Townley said.
Meanwhile, the operators are working on a prototype unit. The current three restaurants cover between 2,800 and 3,000 square feet and seat 40 to 50 people.
Dale said the Maepole concept was borne from a popular lunch option at his National restaurant.
“We from day one had a vegetable plate as one of our entrees and then added something that we called the power lunch at lunch and at dinner,” Dale recalled. “It was one of the most popular entrees at lunch. It was probably 75% of our lunch business.”
He said he felt fortunate to team with Townley.
“We just didn’t have the skill set to really take it to the next level,” Dale said.
Townley sold out of the Zaxbys business in 2020 after Goldman Sachs took a stake in the company.
Dale said the Maepole menu changes four times a year to take advantage of seasonal vegetables.
“We believe in eating with the seasons,” Dale said. “We change the sides times a year. We don’t serve raw tomatoes in January, for example, when they’re not when they’re not great. …. We think people are really gravitating toward healthier concepts that are not a salad that are really satiating and delicious.”
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