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Where's The Beef? O'Brady's Inside Brandon Hotel

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By LAURA FRAZIER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2008

BRANDON - A popular neighborhood eatery founded in Brandon that has more than 250 restaurants nationwide will open its newest franchise back in this suburban enclave - only this time inside a hotel.

Beef O' Brady's president Nick Vojnovic said that despite the faltering economy, his business recently has been beefing up in niche "hybrid" locations, including the University of South Florida campus and Tradewinds Island Grand Resort on St. Pete Beach.

On Monday, Brandon resident Chris Lewis will open a Beef's inside the hotel he co-owns, the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center on Adamo Drive just east of U.S. 301.

He said he hopes to bill Beef's as the main attraction and, in turn, drive hotel traffic.

The new restaurant will be the first Beef's in the nation to offer banquet facilities and the first in the Tampa Bay area to offer liquor.

Other locations serve wine and beer.

Beef O' Brady's, founded in Brandon in 1985 by the late Jim Mellody, is headquartered at Family Sports Concepts Inc. in Tampa.

Mellody's son-in-law, J.J. Massaro, still runs the original Beef's on Kings Avenue in Brandon.

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