From Small Beginnings To Big Brands

A taste for life - Spur

I think that Spur has made a huge contribution to this country when you consider that before it existed one person was employed and not getting a salary. That was me.

Recently, having read a few articles from different sources, about the inspiring story of the founding of Spur Steak Ranches, it was such a great privilege for me to talk to the founder and Executive Chairman of , Mr Allen Ambor. What a gentleman! I had called to request permission to include the story in this very book, which I was busy revising at the time. During our chat, he even told me about his second hand Mini car that he used to transport his staff home, when they closed the restaurant at night. He said one of his employees was a very big guy, whose weight used to make the car to swerve sideways on the road, as the tyres were not in a good condition!

It all started on 24 October 1967, when Allen invested anamount of R4 000 (with his father doubling what he had saved and a partner who put in R5000) and opened the doors of the Golden Spur in Dean Street, Newlands in Cape Town. He soon opened the second Spur restaurant in South Africa, Seven Spur in Sea Point. With the immense popularity of these branches, Ambor decided that franchising was the best option to grow the Spur business, while enabling others to become part of the Spur Family as franchisees.

Let us rewind a bit. Between the ages of 15 and 23, Ambor held various jobs working at a deli, a footwear manufacturer and as a soccer coach at a school, but it was his stint at a Johannesburg steakhouse that struck a chord with him. "I fell in love with being in a restaurant and loved the idea of being around people and being able to engage and satisfy them. The environment suited me."

After one year at university he decided he would move to Cape Town and open a steakhouse. The next two years were spent searching for ideal premises to house his new business idea. Scanning the Newlands area, which was and still is home to a brewery, cricket grounds and some good schools, a 24-year-old Ambor saw potential. With R2 000 of his own, R2 000 from his father – who had promised to double the amount that his son could save – and some extra capital from a last-minute partner who was eventually bought out, Ambor set out to secure the lease, and then had to patiently wait another one and a half years while the building was constructed.

"On 24 October 1967, Golden Spur was opened and the rest was chaos and history." According to Ambor, personalised service was almost non-existent in Cape Town's restaurant industry at that time and Spur filled that void. "We were profitable from day one. We assembled a fantastic business in the right place at the right time. We had queues day and night, even in the rain. They loved the food, décor and energy – people wanted to be there."

Reflecting on those initial days Ambor said, "We met people at the door, we welcomed children, we were efficient, and everything was made fresh to order. There was a pizzazz and a vibe about it."

"I knew that if people experienced what Spur had to offer, they'd come back. We bent over backwards to help people. That's how we became successful."

He soon opened a second restaurant, Seven Spur in Sea Point.

With the immense popularity of these branches, Allen decided that franchising was the best option to grow the Spur business, while enabling others to become part of the Spur Family as franchisees. An old school friend came to Golden Spur one evening at the height of the season and asked Allen to help him, as he wanted to open a steak house in Cape Town. He turned out to be the first franchisee. Since its humble beginnings, Spur has grown into an iconic and internationally recognised brand with close to 600 outlets worldwide, which collectively employ over 15 000 people. Spur Corporation now also houses seven restaurant brands, including Panarottis Pizza Pasta, RocoMamas, John Dory's Fish Grill Sushi, The Hussar Grill and Casa Bella and Nikos Greek Grill.