Poss, Eubanks take on Atlanta with aggressive promo tactics: catering duo wants to crack open tight market

Nation's Restaurant News, August 22, 1988 by Jack Hayes

Poss, Eubanks take on Atlanta with aggressive promo tactics

ATHENS, Ga. -- A veteran restaurateur and the grandson of Georgia barbecue legend Robert Ernest Poss are buying television ads, sponsoring ballon races, and forming minority business partnerships to crack Atlanta's catering market.

Tim Eubanks, who ran Sagehs Restaurant here, and Bobby Poss, who sold for his family's food business, now have 32,000 square feet of warehouse, banquet, and kitchen facilities in this university town fifty miles east of Georgia's capital.

And their aggressive promotional efforts appear to be paying off, although Eubanks and Poss both decline to talk about how much is being spent.

Meanwhile, Poss-Sage's has been named beer and wine concessionaire with the William Andrews Group for Atlanta's Arts Festival, which attracts an estimated half a million to Piedmont Park in midtown over its nine-day run.

In August Poss-Sage's became a sponsoring partner, with the National Balloon Racing Association, of a balloon festival and air show which drew nearly 70,000 to the Gwinnett County Airport.

As a result, Poss-Sage's may become the concessionaire at major air shows scheduled for Detroit in early September, Lancaster, Pa., the following month, Jacksonville, Fla., in November, and others throughout 1989.

"We're stepping into Atlanta," said Eubanks, who catered the New York Delegate's party at the city's Scenario night club during the Democratic National Convention.

"A lot of people think Poss' is just barbecue," added Poss, who collected leads for weddings, business dinners, receptions, and other catered events in a demo tent at the August balloon festival. "But we're doing everything."

Poss-Sage's fed the airshow crowd from tents serving American, Chinese, and Greek specialties with a total labor force of 250 -- about three-fifths of whom were volunteers for civic groups sharing the profits.

"By Detroit, we hope to have a Mexican tent and pizza," said Eubanks, who also served blackened red fish, bratwurst, and Brunswick stew.