Fast Food Enterprises is a partnership that began in the 1970s between Barry Holm and William “Bill” Patterson, Sr. Barry was a Senior Financial Analyst at Burger King Corporation charged with reviewing the financial statements of franchisees. Barry came to realize that he was on the “wrong” side of the business and set out to become a Burger King franchisee. In 1972, Barry was introduced to Bill, an industrialist from Erie, Pennsylvania. Bill saw great entrepreneurial potential in Barry that led to this partnership that still exists today between the Holm and Patterson families.
In 1973, Fast Food Enterprises opened and operated its first Burger King Restaurant located at the corner of U.S. Highway 1 and State Road 60 in Vero Beach. Florida. Fast Food Enterprises expanded rapidly and eventually owned and operated 15 Burger King Restaurants along the Treasure Coast area of Florida.
With the Burger King business doing well in Florida, Barry and Bill expanded into Pennsylvania by buying two Burger King Restaurants in Erie, Pennsylvania in the mid-1980s. Bill’s son, William Patterson, Jr., managed these restaurants and over time, expanded the Erie market to as many as 15 Burger King restaurants.
In 2004, Barry’s son, Mark Holm joined the partnership and he grew into the role as Managing Partner of Fast Food Enterprises in Florida. In 2013, Fast Food Enterprises sold its Burger King business in Florida to a large Burger King franchise group known as Goldco, LLC (operating today as Seven Restaurants, LLC). Fast Food Enterprises retained ownership of its real estate at most of the Burger King locations in this transaction.
Today, Fast Food Enterprises serves as a landlord for 12 Burger King restaurant properties in the Treasure Coast area of Florida and owns and operates 10 Burger King restaurants in northwestern Pennsylvania.