Dacha Beer Garden, one of DC’s most popular destinations for locals and tourists alike with two iconic locations, announced it is speaking with investors and potential franchisees about territories for the brand’s expansion on the East Coast. Co-owners Dmitri Chekaldin and Ilya Alter said the timing is ideal for high-net-worth investors seeking a successful franchise model, unlimited support, and potentially high profit margins.
“Location is everything, so we will be working to help franchisees secure prime spaces in high traffic areas,” says Alter. “We are initially targeting areas along the East Coast, including Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. We are also interested in underserved regions in booming coastal cities such as St. Augustine, for example. In addition, although we are targeting the East Coast, we aren’t ruling out other desirable locations across the country.”
Consistently voted as among the top 5 Best Beer Gardens in the U.S. by USA Today, Dacha is renowned for its Bavarian-style beer gardens with an extensive world-class selection of beers, ciders, wines, spirits, and traditional Bavarian-inspired food. The brand’s successful locations in DC’s Shaw neighborhood and Navy Yard regularly host crowds who gather for lively events, fundraisers for social causes, special occasions, and an atmosphere that keeps regulars returning for more. All year long, Dacha dials up the fun with everything from doggy birthday parties to events featuring local vendors and fundraisers for charities and causes. Alter said he and his team will be working with franchisees to help them recreate a unique Dacha experience in their own neighborhoods. He mentioned Dacha’s two gigantic murals at each of its current locations as an example.
“At our Shaw location, we have an eye-catching mural of Elizabeth Taylor, while our Navy Yard Location features a mural of Jackie Onassis,” Alter says. “Both gigantic murals are striking works of art outside the restaurants that have made our locations unforgettable landmarks. We will be working with new franchise owners to ensure their locations are also big, bold, and extraordinary.”
Since owners Chekaldin and Alter opened their first Dacha Beer location in DC’s Shaw neighborhood in 2013, they have experienced remarkable success in just 10 years. Capitalizing on year-over-year growth and profit margins, they opened a second sprawling location in 2019 at Navy Yard, directly across from Nats Park, home of the Washington Nationals major league baseball team. During the pandemic when many restaurants and bars were struggling, Dacha’s unwavering sales prompted them to acknowledge franchising with their proven playbook would be the perfect way to scale the business.
“We talked about supporting franchisees and entrepreneurs who would recognize the opportunity to build a prosperous business that would be able to thrive even during unstable economic times,” says Chekaldin. “By the time we opened the second location at Navy Yard, we knew we had an exceptional concept and track record, so we made the decision to franchise and offer our expertise and support to investors.”
