Smalls Sliders, the premium cheeseburger slider brand with over 240 Cans open or under development, announced a new deal that will bring the breakout concept to Raleigh for the first time. The agreement outlines nine total Cans, all of which will be opened by entrepreneurial team Aaron Zucker and Bob Peterson.
Peterson has a stacked career in restaurant ownership, having previously owned and operated The Oceanic at Wrightsville Beach for several years which now serves as a landmark restaurant in the state. As a multi-unit owner, Peterson also operated both franchised and independent concepts across eight different brands. He then transitioned to the corporate side of the industry, spearheading operations for notable brands like Sonic, Steak & Shake and Panera Bread. Likewise, Zucker brings a stellar background in commercial real estate. He created Zucker Investment Group in 2018, which specializes in acquiring value-add retail real estate and helping operators scale their businesses by providing site selection and capital solutions. Together, they make the perfect pair to bring Smalls Sliders to a brand-new state.
“We explored several concepts when we decided to franchise together, and Smalls Sliders was unique in that it checked every box on our list,” says Zucker. “We are extremely people-focused, so we knew that the leadership team was going to be a major factor for us in this process. Smalls has done an incredible job of creating a passionate and dedicated team, and that shows through in everything they do. It’s unique to each market, provides a high-quality product, and is led by industry experts – it’s not often that you can find all of that within a brand as new as Smalls Sliders.”
Zucker will head all facets of real estate, development and financial strategies for the group. Peterson, who is joined by his son Eric in this latest business venture, will take on an operational role focused on people development and overall strategy. The group expects the first Can to open by 2025, with a focus on areas like Raleigh, Knightdale, Wake Forest, Garner, Fayetteville, Clayton, Apex, Greenville and more.
“The caliber of our franchisees only continues to heighten as our brand grows nationwide, and that sentiment is absolutely true with Bob and Aaron,” says Maria Rivera, CEO of Smalls Sliders. “This is a pair that has thought out every piece of their operations, and their backgrounds create a blend that is perfectly suited for success. We’re excited to see them flourish in Raleigh, and we look forward to dropping new Cans across the state.”
Smalls Sliders opened its first signature ‘Smorange’ colored Can in 2019. Since its inception, Smalls Sliders has disrupted the QSR industry with its stacked leadership team and robust development pipeline, furthering its rapid growth trajectory with more than 240 Cans open or under development. The brand continues to garner high-level industry recognition, with Nation’s Restaurant News featuring Smalls Sliders in its “Breakout Brands of 2023”, and QSR Magazine ranking the brand in its annual QSR 50 Contenders list. Other accolades include ranking on Entrepreneur magazine’s “Top New & Emerging Franchises” for two consecutive years, both in 2023 and 2024.
