Adrian Silversmith '97 Turns A Childhood Favorite Into Big Business

Adrian Silversmith ‘97 was at a proverbial crossroads after being laid off from his job of almost eight years. That’s when the Benjamin alum started toying with the idea of jumping into the restaurant business. After much research and development, the idea of Sprelly was born.  
 
Silversmith’s brainchild Sprelly is a brick-and-mortar eatery offering a modernized take on two of the world’s most beloved comfort foods; the tasty good ‘ole fashioned American Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich and the timeless European crêpe. Sprelly offers customers the chance to build their own PB&J sandwich or crepe with a host of flavor options.
 
Silversmith credits his time at Benjamin for shaping who he is as a businessman.
 
“My time at Benjamin was more impactful than I ever imagined. I graduated in 1997, and was one of the lucky 14 members who started TBS in Pre-K. Our class was the last class to ever be taught by Mr. Benjamin, so my pride runs deep as a member of the ‘14 Year Club.’  I have close relationships with many of my old classmates, many of whom have been sounding boards for me as I started Sprelly.” Silversmith says.
 
Silversmith says the teachers at Benjamin also had a direct impact on his business.
 
“Learning French early on has influenced me as an adult. I remember Mrs. Spassoff’s French courses and the foreign exchange program like they were yesterday!  In fact, Fredericksburg’s ‘version’ of Mrs. Spassoff has organized her class trips to Sprelly, so her students can taste crepes. Each class trip, I speak fondly of TBS to her students and share my experiences gained at school.”
 
Sprelly opened in April 2016 in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. In 2017, Silversmith was awarded by the Fredericksburg Area Chamber of Commerce with “The Entrepreneur of the Year Award.”
 
“My one and only mission is to scale Sprelly nationwide. I’m searching for ways to do that and have started conversations with a few franchising organizations and investment firms. My hope is to become the ‘Chipotle’ of PB&Js!”
 
 
 
 
 
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A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.
 
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