Chain Leader

As empty restaurant and retail spaces become increasingly available, converting it to your brand may make economic sense. Jim Callam has converted his share of restaurant and nonrestaurant space to Winking Lizard Tavern, a 14-unit chain headquartered in Bedford Heights, Ohio. President of the casual-dining concept, Callam shares the ups and downs of shoehorning the concept into everything from a 22,000-square-foot warehouse to a 100-year-old house.