"What's really cool about 'Syndicate' right now is our employees are really starting to take pride in the brand,” says Brendan Huffman, SS Owner and Partner. “Whenever you walk into a Social Syndicate venue you're going to get awesome, good quality people and good energy. That's kinda the deal behind it. Customer service is the biggest thing for us. It's never been what's on the walls. The core behind it all is that friendly face you see every time you walk in the door."
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nnovative design and stellar décor can go a long way in this industry, but unless the food is spectacular, the staff are welcoming and the vibe is on point, the chances of keeping the doors open for the long haul are slim to none. Maybe that's why Social Syndicate’s way of thinking has never been 'build it and they will come.’ Instead, they've built their popular San Diego establishments around their motto 'Concept Is King' and the virtue that their employees are family, customer service is key and good times are meant to be had. "It's basically a big group of friends, like family owned and operated. Everything is grass roots, it's not a big corporation. Every restaurant venture we do is driven by what's needed in the neighborhood and the community. We center around the void in the marketplace, but it's always got to be what would make sense for that community, what they're missing,” says Huffman. “Even the philanthropy work we do is centered around that particular community and usually the naming of the business comes from the history of the place. We hire local [and] the menu is created using local ingredients." The group of three friends combined their branding, building and marketing resources a few years ago after Brendan and Mark opened Bootlegger in East Village. At that time, Mina already owned The Local in downtown. The branding success of The Local had Mina being tapped by many other restaurateurs while concept and design ideas were being sought from the Bootlegger owners. While hiring expensive outside
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companies to bring their newer ideas to fruition, it made more sense to have their successful backgrounds join forces, keep cost down and do everything in-house. Together, Brendan, Mina and Mark created Social Syndicate as their one-stop concept shop.
SOCIAL FOODIE Where to Eat and Drink With Social Syndicate Around the City
Three years later, now with some of the hottest spots in the SD food and drink scene under their belt, Social Syndicate is thriving with their popular restaurants Wonderland Ocean Pub in Ocean Beach, Bootlegger in East Village, Florent Restaurant & Lounge in Gaslamp, The Rabbit Hole in Normal Heights and The Local, now with one location Downtown and one in Pacific Beach. They've recently added the brand Resident Brewing to their portfolio with a brewery and tasting room downtown. The beer, created by award winning brewer Robert Masterson, has become so sought after that they may need to consider a second location already to keep up with supply and demand. And as if Wonderland couldn't get any better with its spectacular views, delicious bites and tasty cocktails, Social Syndicate has purchased the Shades Oceanfront Bistro location directly below it that will focus on brunchy delights and "swell times.” Although OB Surf Lodge won't be an extension of big sister, Wonderland, it will maintain the pooch friendly atmosphere that Shades' regulars knew and loved. We got to witness the cocktail R&D tastings for the soon-to-open spot, and if it's a hint of things to come, then we're in for something terrific. Brunch. OB. That view. Food and drink to die for. Hmmm, sounds an awful lot like 'the next big thing' to us.
Ocean Beach • Wonderland Ocean Pub • OB Surf Lodge Pacific Beach • The Local Downtown • Bootlegger • Resident Brewing • Florent Restaurant & Lounge • The Local Normal Heights • The Rabbit Hole UTENSIL STUDIO
“CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BIGGEST THING FOR US.” —BRENDAN HUFFMAN
• Social Syndicate is branching out and turning their once inhouse marketing and design department into a whole new entity—Utensil Studio.