Hamburgers and the Oprah Effect1 min read

When restaurateur Jeff Weinstein launched The Counter, a hip build-your-own hamburger eatery with industrial decor in trendy Santa Monica, Calif., three years ago, word of the new hotspot spread widely and a hungry and loyal following quickly developed. In just three months, The Counter turned a profit.

Last summer, The Counter earned national recognition when it was ranked No. 15 in GQ magazine’s seminal list of “20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die.” However, Weinstein, 31, got a real boost in February, when his burgers were mentioned on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Call it the Oprah Effect: The Counter’s sales spiked from $44,000 a month to $245,000.

More at Businessweek Online