Like it or not, the restaurant at the front of your building is your building’s brand. It is what passersby see, it is what your tenants visit daily. Why would you entrust your brand to someone else?
When the rent on that ground floor space is 2% of your rent-making but 80% of your place-making, you need to own and control what goes on there.
STHRN Hospitality Co was created by two firms with unique backgrounds in commercial real estate. Southern Culinary and Creative, a creative culinary event and experience agency and Revel, one of the leading destination retail developers in the country. Their respective principals saw an unmet need to provide turn-key solutions to building owners looking to create vibrant and hospitable places.
We do that by managing F+B for our clients. We work and understand your specific needs, help you create a plan for the development of operation of food services, then execute that plan and oversee all of the day-to-day operations on your behalf.
George Banks is a 24-year veteran of retail real estate with deep expertise in food, beverage, and experience-driven development. He has played a key role in shaping some of Atlanta’s most notable projects, including Atlanta Dairies, Larkin on Memorial, and Krog Street Market—the first food hall in the Southeast and still celebrated among the best in the world. George leads new business development and leasing strategy at STHRN, aligning innovative F&B concepts with properties and partners to create destinations that resonate with communities and drive long-term value. As both a principal and consultant, he has helped launch and operate destination retail projects that seamlessly blend community, dining, and design. A frequent speaker and writer on urban development, adaptive reuse, and restaurant futures, George continues to bring thought leadership to the evolving conversation around placemaking.
With more than two decades of experience, Elizabeth Feichter is recognized for leading complex projects and driving community-focused initiatives. Her career spans event production, nonprofit support, the development and engagement of corporate partnerships, culinary program development, and project management in restaurant and bar design and architecture. Elizabeth has successfully overseen concept-to-completion buildouts, managing general contractors, design teams, and budgets to deliver functional, thoughtful spaces. Equally skilled at producing large-scale events and guiding cross-disciplinary teams, Elizabeth balances vision with precision. Colleagues value her leadership and ability to unite stakeholders around shared goals, and her work consistently delivers meaningful experiences and environments that strengthen communities and deliver measurable impact.
With more than two decades of experience, Kelly is recognized for leading marketing strategy and programming initiatives that shape guest experiences across multi-unit hospitality portfolios. His career spans brand development, experiential marketing, event programming, and operational leadership within restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. Skilled in guiding creative campaigns and overseeing execution at both the corporate and unit level, Kelly has successfully delivered brand launches, digital strategies, and in-venue activations that drive traffic and engagement. Equally adept at managing cross-functional teams and agency partners, he balances vision with execution to deliver measurable impact. Colleagues value his ability to align diverse stakeholders, and his work consistently elevates brands, strengthens communities, and creates experiences that resonate.
James Clark is a chef, operator, and hospitality leader with over 30 years of experience spanning fine dining, fast casual, and multi-unit operations. After more than 15 years in independent restaurants, he scaled a three-unit fast-casual brand into a 40+ location national concept, earning the Nation’s Restaurant Trendsetter Award. His expertise covers culinary development, purchasing, kitchen design, and operations, as well as financial planning and oversight for multi-unit portfolios. James guides both the creative and fiscal strategy behind a diverse mix of hospitality and entertainment concepts—ensuring brands are not only memorable but also sustainable and profitable. Throughout his career, he has partnered with operators to improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance guest experiences, and deliver strong financial results.
Marc Taft is an Atlanta-based chef, restaurateur, and hospitality executive with more than 20 years of experience leading food and beverage programs across the Southeast. He first gained recognition as the founder of Chicken and the Egg, a modern Southern farm-to-table concept that became a local favorite. Building on that success, he launched Southern Fried Hospitality, a consulting and management group specializing in concept development and operations. Marc is known for translating Southern traditions into approachable, elevated dining experiences while mentoring the next generation of chefs and hospitality leaders. Today, he continues this work with STHRN Hospitality, bringing distinctive restaurant and bar concepts to life in collaboration with real estate and development partners.
With over 20 years of experience in operations, sales, and hospitality, Ayana Stallings specializes in delivering exceptional client and guest experiences. Her career spans the corporate and private sectors, with a focus on events, consulting, and brand activations. Ayana is recognized for her ability to drive results through meticulous project management, sponsorship negotiations, and stakeholder alignment. Known for her attention to detail and user-first mindset, she consistently fosters seamless partnerships that support both client satisfaction and business growth. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ayana is passionate about family and travel, bringing energy and curiosity to everything she does.
Michaela Palovick is a marketing and brand strategist who specializes in shaping the cultural presence of hospitality brands. As Director of Marketing for STHRN Hospitality Co, she oversees social media strategy, digital campaigns, and experiential programming that connect people to restaurants, bars, and community venues. Previously, she founded Hello Media Co, a boutique agency where she developed content and storytelling strategies for lifestyle and hospitality clients. Michaela brings an entrepreneurial perspective in-house, building integrated frameworks that align social media, PR, and events into cohesive campaigns. With expertise in influencer partnerships, brand activations, and culture-driven marketing, she is passionate about creating experiences that resonate with audiences and neighborhoods alike.
