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STORY HIGHLIGHTS
SADBrunch has expanded to 15 states and Puerto Rico.
Co-founder Marcus Gross plans to restructure SADBrunch under a parent company.
The company has grown its operations team from three to 15 people.
A local drag brunch company has branched into more entertainment areas as it continues to expand across the country.
SADBrunch, founded by Marcus Gross has now held events in 15 states and Puerto Rico, adding nighttime drag shows and drag bingo to its original drag brunch offerings. The company has expanded into three more states since last year and Gross wants to continue growing nationally and internationally while also changing SADBrunch's business structure.
The drag entertainment company was founded in 2019 after hosting a successful drag brunch at Glen Burnie’s Cancun Cantina. SADBrunch mostly focused on the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area before franchising its show model and growing through various partnerships in 2022. The company has held events at Bark Social locations, with an upcoming event planned for itsnew Columbia spot, and at several properties owned by Baltimore-based Cordish Cos., including Live at the Battery Atlanta.
Some of that growth has taken the company beyond its original name. SADBrunch has added events like drag bingo and even dances, such as October’s HallowQueen Ball at Baltimore Soundstage. Gross wants to create a parent company to house SADBrunch and a newer addition to the portfolio, a talent management company called B1People Agency.
“In the next year, my biggest focus is restructuring the business,” Gross said. “Of course, we do more than just drag brunches.”
The co-founder hopes putting everything “under one umbrella” will allow the company to continue growing its exposure and opportunities with corporate partners.
SADBrunch is still looking for a “true” national partnership to bring the company to even more areas. So far, a renewed sponsorship with Wana Brands, a cannabis edible company, has further expanded its reach into Arizona and the West Coast. The sponsorship also helped bring the drag entertainment company to one of Puerto Rico’s nightclubs earlier this year. Gross said nightlife is bigger for the LGBTQ community compared to the drag brunches that typically draw a crowd of straight women.
The company’s growth over the last year also prompted Gross to hire staff in Georgia and Washington D.C., taking the operations team from around three people to 15. He noted the company has also employed around 1,000 entertainers over the years, many of whom are local to each show’s area.
“We've gotten to the point where we have multiple shows in one day and I can't be everywhere,” Gross said.
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