REVERE — Seventy-one years into making iconic roast-beef sandwiches, Kelly’s Roast Beef is switching things up. Not only will the Revere-based sandwich and seafood shop expand outside the Bay State for the first time, but they will also be franchising and undergoing a rebranding.
Kelly’s Roast Beef has long been a family-owned mainstay of the North Shore with locations in Medford, Saugus, Danvers, and the flagship on Revere Beach. Soon, people outside of Massachusetts will be able to get a taste of Boston.
The first Kelly’s Roast Beef opened on Revere Beach in 1951 by two friends, Frank V. McCarthy and Raymond Carey. The story goes that the pair were left with several roasts, after a wedding they were supposed to work at was canceled. They brought the roasts down to their hotdog shack, cut them into thin slices, and served the beef on hamburger buns, and sold out within the hour. They named their new roast beef sandwich shack after their best friend, Thomas Kelly, and the rest is history.
The company tested the waters of expansion outside of the family with their Logan Airport Terminal B location, which opened in 2018. With its success, the family gained confidence in their business and began franchising.
Neil Newcomb, chief executive of Kelly’s Franchising, said that the focus for the next several years will be on New England and Florida. “Of course, Florida is south New England,” he said. Three new franchises are expected to open later this year, in Salem, N.H., Fort Lauderdale and Sarasota, Fla.
Newcomb said there was no hesitation from the McCarthy and Carey families when it came to expansion. They decided to move forward with franchising in 2020, but the pandemic prevented any action. Now, they are raring to go.
An announcement on their website says, “For those who monitor the U.S. restaurant industry, they see steady, standout growth for the fast casual restaurant sector, a step up from common quick service. Add to that a beloved brand that has stood the test of time, and you will witness a new iconic nationwide family restaurant franchise brand in the making.”
Kelly’s is also getting a brand refresh with help from Marlo Marketing. The quintessential cartoon chef logo is staying, but will be getting some color and will stand above a new slogan, “Boston’s legendary roast beef and seafood.” The new logo will be featured on merchandise, including hoodies and reusable cups for their trademark frappes.
Despite the makeover and expansion, Newcomb assuage fears of any negative changes, saying the families are still involved in the restaurants and are “holding [Newcomb] accountable to maintain the quality and brand.”
Newcomb commented that what makes Kelly’s so special is not because it is super local or because it is a small chain. What makes it special, he said, is “because the food is so damn good.”
Emma Fringuelli can be reached at [email protected].
