Knead is now looking to expand outside of Washington D.C. and is currently negotiating leases in Northern Virginia and Boston. “Now that we're established, we feel a little more comfortable growing in cities that are maybe a little bigger,” Berry explains. “You need that density, and you need that volume in order to survive. So if we're going to start growing, we’ve got to pick locations that are going to be in high-volume, high-traffic areas.”
Berry adds that although Virginia Beach is not a big city, Knead is looking to expand in the market due to its demand for upscale concepts. “We don't have a goal in terms of city size; it really just has to make sense from a deal perspective as well as a demographic perspective. Can this neighborhood [and] can this city support this restaurant so that it's successful? And that's sort of the criteria and the standard.”
Having lived near the DuPont area of Washington D.C., Berry had always loved the location and envisioned opening a restaurant there someday. During the pandemic, a space became available and he opened Mi Casa, a Tex-Mex concept. With 10 concepts under the portfolio now, the restaurant group owners prefer to expand existing restaurants, but Berry says he’s still open to debuting new concepts if the location calls for it.
Last year, Knead Hospitality also turned its attention to employee wellness and retention. Currently, the team is testing a four-day workweek for its salaried managers and chefs. By implementing this perk, employees who qualify are only required to be in their restaurant four days a week, and any work they have left over can be done remotely.
Along with a shorter work week, Knead is implementing a reimbursement program for their employees called Life + Style. The system consists of categories that Berry and Reginbogin believe are beneficial for a balanced lifestyle, including going to the gym, purchasing clothing, dry cleaning, dining at other restaurants, and entertainment like concerts and the movie theater. Berry describes it as a “use it or lose it” system, meaning the amount of money for reimbursement can only be used for the items in that specific category. Employees receive benefits based on position and length of employment.
“Hopefully if people use those things and have a little bit more fun and balance outside of their work life, then they're happier at work,” Berry says. About 100 employees at Knead Hospitality qualify for these benefits so far.
When asked what it’s like to work with his husband of 25 years, Berry says he wishes he had drama to share. To his surprise, they have been successful in creating their business and he says it’s because of shared interests. Leaning on their different strengths in the industry, Berry mostly deals with finances, while Reginbogin focuses on design and aesthetics. That means their conversations are never dull, Berry notes, adding that they respect each other's responsibilities and come together to make big decisions about Knead. Berry admits that sometimes it’s hard to draw the line between their work and personal life, and believes that success with his partner is not the rule and wouldn’t want to lead anyone astray by recommending it.
“We really live and breathe the restaurant business, so the fact that we're both running this company together means we have a lot in common,” Berry adds. “We have a lot to talk about.”
