Source One Goes Solo

El Paso, Texas-based National Restaurant Supply sold its interest in Source One Distribution, its national accounts affiliate, to a group of investors led by Source One President Scott O'Hara.

Source One was founded in 2002. Though O'Hara declined to provide the firm's sales volume,

The sale, therefore, is a natural part of the firm's development, O'Hara said. "It just made sense at this point to take the next step ... for Source One to create visibility for itself. Up until this point we stayed under the radar, behind National Restaurant Supply."

Source One, O'Hara noted, does not go to market as a traditional dealer, but as a single-source provider for the construction of chain restaurants. Like most dealers, the company provides equipment and supplies, but it also acts as a general contractor for these units. It sub-contracts construction and trade workers to construct whole restaurants; provides building materials; and manages construction of entire facilities, not just the back of the house.

The dealer's client list includes Quiznos and a number of emerging chains. The firm is on pace to build 2,100 restaurants this year, according to O'Hara.

Source One operates out of a 70,000-square-foot facility in Albuquerque, N.M. That location is being expanded to 90,000-square-feet. In addition, O'Hara stated, the company plans to open an East Coast distribution facility by the end of the year, the exact location of which has not been chosen.