Our Legacy: Making a Lasting Impact
Impacting lives, building valued relationships and being a role model for those in the hospitality industry has always been at the heart of Table 301. So, when owner, Carl Sobocinski started to consider downsizing his company in 2019, he created an exit strategy that surprised many in the business.
Instead of selling his beloved restaurants to just anyone, he proposed a succession plan that turned into a way to cultivate and motivate a new generation of restauranteurs. Sobocinski began proposing and offering his company’s knowledge, industry connections, marketing support, and funding for restaurant ownership to some of the company’s most aspiring employees.
Here are the stories of five Table 301 associates (so far) who have dreamed the dream and are now successful restaurant owners in Greenville thanks to the support, encouragement and mentoring of Carl Sobocinski and the Table 301 team.



Jorge Baralles, Sr., aka “Papi,” began his career as a dishwasher for Table 301’s flagship restaurant Soby’s when it first opened in 1997, often making tacos for the staff meals. In 2013, Carl Sobocinski approached Papi about opening a taqueria and putting his name on it. Papi’s Tacos opened in downtown Greenville along the Reedy River as part of the Table 301 Restaurant Group later that year and offered a simple menu that featured tacos, tortas, salsas and dips. The food represented the same authentic flavor combinations that Papi and his family grew up with in Mexico. In 2019, Papi became the sole owner of Papi’s Tacos. A second location opened in downtown Greenville in 2023.






