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North County Restaurant Group has been honored as the 2022 Business of the Year by the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce. What started as a senior project and a dream among friends has now turned into a full-fledged business with restaurants spread from Paso Robles to Atascadero.
“I’m honored, there are so many great businesses in our small town, and I’m happy to be a part of it. It feels great to be recognized,” said Eric Peterson, owner of North County Restaurant Group, upon being recognized by the Chamber.
Raised in Atascadero, Eric got his start in the restaurant business at an early age, working at his grandmother Bonnie Peterson’s restaurants – Country Touch Cafe, Touch Paso Cafe and Mexican Touch.
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But it wasn’t until he found a work bus table at AJ Spurs in Templeton that Eric discovered his passion for the industry.
“My grandmother had a great influence [on me] Working for her and actually running AJ Spurs is where I really learned,” Eric said of his start in the industry.
Located on Main Street in Templeton, AJ Spurs Steakhouse is a staple in many people’s lives in North County. Housed in the old Mercantile building for years, it closed its doors for good in 2017. Thanks to his experience at his grandmother’s restaurants, Eric found himself in the management position at AJ’s within six months of working there.
While Eric’s grandfather’s restaurants focused on breakfast and lunch, he found that he enjoyed the bar and dinner scene.
His favorite steakhouse was where Eric met his friend and future business partner, Trevor LaSalle, at the age of 18. Eric attended Cuesta College and then Cal Poly while working at AJ Spurs. With all this, he and Trevor plan to open their first restaurant.
“They say to do what you know, so when we were getting ready to graduate college, it was, we know how to run these restaurants, so we can do this,” Eric says of his and Trevor’s new plans.
Eric describes the process of opening his first restaurant as a carriage before the horse situation. While Trevor had graduated a year earlier, Eric was in his senior year and looking for his senior project. And opening a restaurant at the age of 23 fits the bill.
Guest House Grill finally came to the scene in 2018. At the time, Eric said there wasn’t much in Atascadero restaurant wise and the opportunity seemed just right for him and Trevor. Eric’s aunt was ready to move on from the Mexican restaurant she opened in the guest house, Eric and Trevor just needed to take over the place and buy the remaining equipment.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Inn Grill was a success and the two were ready for more. Trevor and Eric took another chance to buy a seasonal resort in Southern Oregon. For 10 years, Eric spent his summers at an Oregon resort while expanding his business in North County.
Next to Partners Street Ale House and Restaurant opened in Atascadero in 2018. Success at Home of Ale will open a second location in downtown Paso Robles in 2018.
Then it all took off for Eric in 2019 when he opened Jack’s Grill in Templeton, across the street from where it all started, AJ Spurs. Then in 2020, he bought and opened his grandmother’s restaurants Touch of Paso Cafe and Country Touch Cafe in 2020.
And in 2022, Eric added to his fleet by purchasing The Kitchenette on Main Street in Templeton and opening Cielo in Atascadero. And later in 2023, he plans to open a second Jack’s Grill in the old Senior Sancho’s location on Creston Road in Paso Robles.
“I think our uniqueness as a restaurant group is our uniqueness,” Eric said. Convenient to fine dining, and everything in between.
Looking back, Eric wonders why he would invest in two young 23-year-olds to open a restaurant, which is one of the riskiest businesses.
It was Colin Weyrick who loaned us half the money, says Eric. “And now we’re partners, so it’s been a fun ride.”
Colin is co-owner of both Templeton restaurants with Eric.
He said of Colin, “He was a huge supporter… he helped me open my first restaurant as a mentor.
Eric is now the proud owner of seven restaurants in North County and is proud to be able to give back to the community that gave him his start.
“It was a great feeling to give back to the community when we could. When you first start out, especially in the restaurant business, it’s a real struggle with little to no profit. It took a long time to get the company to the point where we can start doing our part to help the community. It’s been a long, hard road and still a struggle.” It was, but now it’s all worth it.
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