Maybe Group and Public Hospitality Part Ways, Retaining Ownership of Respective Venues

Sydney, Australia – After a partnership spanning over a year, Australian hospitality groups The Maybe Group and Public Hospitality have decided to go their separate ways.

The Maybe Group, co-founded by Vince Lombardo and Stefano Catino, will regain full control of its venues, including the acclaimed Maybe Sammy cocktail bar, Maybe Frank pizzeria, and Sammy Junior coffee and cocktail bar.

The two groups initially joined forces in February 2023 to open El Primo Sanchez, a Mexican-inspired bar in Sydney. This followed Public’s acquisition of Maybe Sammy in April 2022 for an undisclosed amount. Moving forward, El Primo Sanchez will transition back to The Maybe Group through a licensing agreement.

“Stef and I believe we can best serve our venues by bringing them back under The Maybe Group’s wing, and Jon [Adgemis, Public Hospitality founder] has supported us in this decision,” commented Lombardo.

Despite the dissolution of the partnership, both Lombardo and Catino emphasized that operations at all venues will remain unaffected, ensuring a seamless transition for both staff and patrons.

“Although Maybe Sammy and Maybe Frank have been under the Public umbrella for the past year or so, we have continued to operate them as our own, so there will be no change to the guest experience in those venues or El Primo Sanchez as a result of this transition,” assured Catino.

The Maybe Group’s Maybe Sammy recently received recognition as one of the first bars awarded a prestigious pin from The Pinnacle Guide, a new bar industry rating system.