221B Baker St. Pub & Grill is poised to share a bit of its British pub culture. After cultivating its concept in Houston for the last five years, the three-unit chain is venturing into outlying states this year.

"We truly believe that we are the neighborhood pub," says Edgar Carlson, co-owner of Hospitality USA Management Group, parent company of the chain. "We have customers that gravitate toward us because we serve a social purpose not only as a place to served food and good beer and entertainment but because they feel welcome there. It's their second house."

The concept seems to be thriving. With an average check of $14, the chain posted $8.5 million in system wide sales in 2004 and expects to ring up approximately $12 million in 2005.

Hospitality USA created Baker St. in 2000 as a spinoff of its other pub concept, Sherlock's Baker St. Pub & Grill, we it found a 4,000-square-foot space with a kitchen in a shopping mall near Rice University in Houston. Although Sherlock's was not a full-service restaurant and required 9,500 square feet, the company deemed the real estate and demographics too good to pass up. So it opened a smaller, full-service pub concept in the space instead. "We really liked the opportunity to do food because we were open much earlier in the day," Carlson says.

Named after Sherlock Holmes' address, 221B Baker St. & Grill offers authentic British fare along with some American items like burgers in a traditional pub setting. Created by consulting chef Neil Doherty, who was born in Ireland and studied culinary arts in London, the menu features made-from-scratch items like British Sausage Roll, $4.50, British sausage encased in puff pastry and served with spicy mustard and Branston pickle sauce; and Shepard's Pie, $7.99, ground sirloin with veggies, topped with cheddar cheese and finished with a mashed potato crust, and served with green beans and red potatoes.

The restaurants also offer 20 to 24 draft beers and ales, microcrafted beers, wines and signature cocktails. Alcohol makes up about 60 percent of sales.

However, unlike most traditional pubs, Baker St. has live acoustic rock and folk music five or six days a week.

And at 6,500 square feet with seating for 300, Baker St. is large compared to most traditional pubs. To create a cozy, conversational environment, the bar splits the space into two dining rooms and the booths have glass partitions.

As Baker St. gears up for growth, Hospitality USA has gone on a hiring spree, Carlson and co-owner Larry Martin hired Vice President of Operations Bob Allison in 2002, who developed an opening crew, training team and network of area directors. They recently hired Director of Construction Leo Parker and Dallas-based The Retail Connection, which specializes in finding real estate for restaurants.

Hospitality USA plans to open three units in Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas by year-end and two more in Texas and Louisiana in 2006. The company expects to open an additional 25 to 27 units in Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia and Arizona in about five years.