Brandon Holzhueter and Brad Merten have been friends since they were teenagers, but it wasn't until after college that the friendship turned into a partnership.

Together, they opened two Pickeman's Deli franchise locations, but the draw to make their own business decisions kept them dreaming of something more.

The idea for a frozen drink bar, inspired by the budding cocktail craze was born. They opened Narwhal's Crafted next to SLU's campus in Midtown in 2016 and eventually a second location in the Streets of St. Charles in 2019.

But another idea was churning: nachos.

They wanted nachos that went far beyond what anyone thinks of when they think of chips topped with cheese.

The business partners put their heads together and while the pandemic changed a lot of things, the new concept, Loaded, opened this year.

The business partners join us to talk about recipe developing, working through hurdles in the hospitality business, and what comes next.