How one Fort Collins restaurateur owned 67 restaurants

Steve Lauer has owned 67 restaurants in his career — 40 have been located in Larimer County.

So the 51-year-old has felt right at home preparing three new Fort Collins restaurants for openings this year.

"The restaurant world is a risky business," Lauer said. "But I'm kind of a foodie. I can't get enough of it."

Lauer began his restaurant empire as a 20-year-old Subway franchisee, using his parents’ life savings to start. He added to his success with Qdoba and TCBY ventures.

Next he'll launch Cabana, a Cuban restaurant to open in May; Mac’d Up, a gourmet macaroni and cheese spot scheduled to open in September; and Lei Lo, a Caribbean-inspired tapas restaurant due in October.

“People always ask me if I like to gamble,” said Lauer, who splits his time living in Fort Collins and Denver. “I own my own business, so I gamble every day. I don’t gamble otherwise.”

But not every gamble has paid off.

He ran Beach House Grill, Buku Bowl, Cajun Joe’s, Pasto’s and Pescado Bay restaurants to varying successes. He has also closed a few Subway, Qdoba and TCBY stores.

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"Sometimes, you just don't do the math right," Lauer said. "But I've learned from every experience."

Some of the failures bother him more than others. He still analyzes each situation.

“If I won the lottery, I would try each and every (concept) again to prove that I could get it right,” Lauer said. “Whether it was location, timing or the menu, I would get to the bottom of it.”

Franchise king

Lauer came to Fort Collins in 1985 to help open a Campus West Subway — the second Subway to open in Colorado. It was owned by his uncle and aunt, Denny and Gayle Neidert, who are still Subway franchisees.

Before moving west, Lauer had been working at a Subway for $3.35 an hour while attending college in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana and attending Indiana University–Purdue University.

While he never finished his degree, the Colorado experience was a different type of education for Lauer. He visited the store on his off-days to learn skills like scheduling, paperwork and ordering.

“A number of times I had to tell him to get out of the store and go take a break,” Denny said.

Lauer opened his own Subway in 1986 at the intersection of Lemay and Riverside avenues — the 495th store of the chain that now features more than 44,000 stores around the world. Lauer opened a Subway in Greeley about six months later.

Subways were more simple then, with a dozen sandwiches, two bread options and one cheese available. Lauer also admits he likely wouldn't have been able to become a franchisee in today's real estate market.

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“It was almost like learning on a lemonade stand,” said Lauer, who owned 13 Subways by age 26. “I was able to learn everything about the restaurant world in a fairly simplistic arena.”

He eventually owned 33 Subways. Lauer sold them, using the money to invest in Qdoba.

Lauer first noticed the Qdoba franchise when it was known as Z-Teca Mexican Grill.

“It was good food and all made from scratch,” Lauer said. “Plus, queso makes everyone happy.”

He owned 17 Qdoba stores, but sold the Colorado locations in 2016. He still has locations in Wyoming and Nebraska.

New wave of restaurants

Lauer takes notes on his phone at restaurants around the country. He often maxes out his storage with pictures of food, menus and decor.

“When you are in the restaurant business, you are always watching what’s coming in, what’s going out and what’s available,” Lauer said.

He tapped into the inspiration saved on his phone for his latest ventures.

“There’s something exciting about building something from the ground up,” said Chris Joseph, a longtime Noodles & Co. executive now serving as Lauer’s director of operations. "We have fun every day."

Initially, Lauer wanted to fill two closed TCBY spots. But the real estate market tempted him with the old Wahoo Tacos location at 2310 E. Harmony Road.

“Opening two restaurants is enough, three is a little bit of an overload,” Lauer admits. “But I’ve had my eye on this space for a long time.”

More: Wabi Sabi Old Town closes, will become new restaurant

First is Cabana. It will open at the old Wahoo’s location. He chose a Cuban theme with Cubano sandwiches, mojo pork, rojo chicken, ropa beef and plantains featured on the menu. The restaurant will feature counter ordering, then a handful of attendants will offer full service — a model Lauer borrowed from restaurants in Denver and San Diego.

Next, Mac’d Up will open at 2638 S. Timberline Road. Customers will pick their toppings at the fast-casual restaurant. It borrows from Lauer’s experiences dining at gourmet macaroni and cheese restaurants.

Then Lei Lo will open at 2519 S Shields St. and will be Lauer’s first venture into tapas. It will have a Caribbean theme, with an emphasis on sweet potatoes and squash.

And while Lauer’s plate is full at the moment, he has ideas for other concepts stored in his phone.

“Pizza is sort of my go-to,” Lauer said. “So my girlfriend tells me ‘One of these day you will have to open a pizza place.’”

Follow Jacob Laxen on Twitter and Instagram @jacoblaxen

Lauer’s restaurants

Beach House Grill: Beach-themed restaurant at 125 S. College Ave. The space is now occupied by Mainline.

Buku Bowl: Teriyaki grill that specialized in rice and noodle bowls.

Cabana: Cuban-themed eatery to open in May.

Cajun Joe’s: Former regional chicken chain started by Subway.

Lei Lo: Caribbean-inspired tapas restaurant due in October.

Mac'd Up: Gourmet macaroni and cheese restaurant due in September.

Pasto’s: Fast-casual pasta bar that featured homemade sauces.

Pescado Bay: Fast-casual Mexican eatery that specialized in fish tacos.

Subway: National sandwich chain.

TCBY: Frozen yogurt chain.

Qdoba/Z-Techa: Fast-casual restaurant specializing in Mission-style burritos.