Family Behind Gadzooks Celebrates New Eating, Drinking Concepts Under its Poolhouse Group

Their family business was successful and growing. But backyard conversations in 2020 revolved around uncertainty and survival.

Brothers Jared and Aaron Pool had the secret sauce that made their Gadzooks Enchiladas and Soup chain a hit. And while they were pretty sure their fast-casual concept that pushed quality and consistency would withstand the pandemic, the future still looked a bit scary.

That year, Aaron and his wife had moved in with Jared and his family.

“We’d walk around the backyard and talk,” Jared recalled of their conversations around the future and projected food and labor costs in what would be a new normal. “You had to adapt or die.”

This led to their Poolboy Taco concept, slated to open this summer. It also led to Poolhouse Group, the Phoenix hospitality company they launched in 2022 that includes Gadzooks, Poolboy Taco and The Green Woodpecker, the beer bar at Park Central Mall they opened in December. There’s also Pooldisco, their distribution company and central kitchen run out of their mother Linda’s store, Mama Linda’s Bakeshop in central Phoenix.

“COVID, as bad as it was, was also very helpful in helping us understand who we are,” Jared said.

Similar to Gadzooks, which celebrates its 10th year in business this month, Poolboy Taco will push speedy service with a smaller footprint and quality eats.

Gadzooks embarked on its fifth location, slated to open later this spring at Epicenter in Gilbert, joining shops in Phoenix, Tempe and Chandler, in addition to two stands at Chase Field.

The flagship concept — build-your-own Mexican fare based on his mother’s recipes — has grown 25% year over year since it started, Jared said.

The key to steady growth through even a pandemic is an effort toward keeping consistency with every dish that gets served, no matter when a customer enjoys it or at what location.

“The only reason we exist is the quality of the product. We live and die by it,” Aaron said. “It’s that consistency with our product that allows us to give the same experience every time you walk into a Gadzooks.”

Longtime regular Patty Barney can attest to this. The Glendale resident works for the Phoenix Children’s Foundation, which is not far from Gadzooks’ original central Phoenix location, and has been grabbing lunch or dinner there since it opened on her birthday weekend.

Today, she frequents the restaurant at least twice a week. Her co-workers even schedule meetings with her there. Barney has had and is a fan of everything on the menu but raved about the poblano peppers with mashed potatoes, the sweet and spicy cornbread, nachos and Linda’s famous pumpkin cookies — which Barney used to buy in large quantities to give to friends.

She has been to the Green Woodpecker and looks forward to checking out Poolboy Taco when it opens. When she first started going to Gadzooks, Aaron was single and had just graduated from college. Today he’s a married dad.

Barney said, “I’m just a big fan overall. There’s nothing not to be a fan of. I think every concept they come up with is amazing and successful.”

Since 2015, Barney said the Pools have donated more than $27,000 to Phoenix Children’s, plus donated food to hospital staff during the pandemic.

“They are very customer- and community-oriented and I just love them personally and professionally,” Barney said. “You can’t put a value on community giving, but doing good is good business.”

With Poolhouse Group, the Pools are among the 24.2 million family businesses in the U.S. that contribute 64% of the GDP, according to FamilyBusiness.org.

The company is a true family affair, with not only Linda playing a role. Aaron and Jared’s brother Drew, the force behind Wren House Brewing Company, is responsible for the craft beer at Green Woodpecker. He will do the same for Poolboy Taco.

A much-lauded taco was the spark for the taco shop. It won awards at national food festivals including the Aspen Food & Wine Festival and Devour Phoenix.

While some may argue that sticking with and focusing on expanding the Gadzooks concept would be the safest and surest business move, the Pools disagree.

When Aaron first launched the restaurant, he thought that would be his only brand. “But your creative energy starts ticking…We’re at our best when we want to grow. It’s an exciting outlet for us,” Aaron said.

Jared recalled various challenging scenarios presented to him while in business school. None of them involved a global pandemic and its implications. Although they had plans they wanted to tackle, the pandemic meant those needed to be put on hold. COVID-19 also gave them time that proved to be beneficial when developing their new concepts.

“During COVID, everyone had to learn at the same time. It stopped everything, but it allowed us to be patient,” Jared said.

Post-pandemic, the Pools have the opportunity to do what they love by serving up great food and beer, and the fun times that come with that territory.

“With any of our brands, if we’re going to do food or drinks, it’s going to be the best anyone has ever had,” Aaron said.

Jared credited their success to a solid support system.

“Mentors told us you need to surround yourself with good people. They told us never to give up, and it’s made us very resilient and very persistent at everything we do,” said Jared, adding a piece of advice from Mama Linda.

“Mom always said, ‘The food can’t just be OK. It must be excellent.’”

What: Poolhouse Group

Where: Phoenix

Employees: 75

Interesting stat: Family businesses contribute 64% of the GDP, according to FamilyBusiness.org.

Details:poolhousegroup.com