Later in the Spring, a 1400 square foot quick-service Veloce by Pizzeria Paradiso (www.eatyuourpizza.com) will open in the former Cozy Café location at 1828 L St. NW in downtown Washington DC. An offshoot of the three-unit Pizzeria Paradiso chain of full service restaurants, the new concept will include seating for about 30 as well as a small patio area. It will offer a breakfast and lunch menu. The menu will include various pizzas and choices, calzones, sandwiches and salads. Chef and author Ruth Gresser owned the Pizzeria Paradiso restaurants and the new Veloce restaurant and Miller Walker Retail Real Estate (202/333-0303) handled the site selection…….
Last week, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Chanticleer Holdings Inc. (704/366-5122 www.chanticleerholdings.com) closed on the acquisition of Lansdowne, Virginia-based BGR: The Burger Joint (571/223-5946 www.brgtheburgerjoint.com), a better burger concept operating in the Maryland/Washington, DC/Virginia area. BGR ended 2014 with over $15-million in system wide retail sales, nine corporate owned locations and nine franchises. It added two additional locations in first quarter 2015 including its first international franchise location in Kuwait. The chain has over eighty franchise locations under development agreement almost equally split between domestic and international markets……
In October 2014, Richard Gonzmart, President of the Tampa, Florida-based Columbia Restaurant Group (813/248-3000 www.columbiarestaurant.com) acquired the rights to Goody Goody, Tampa’s homegrown hamburger restaurant on Florida St. that closed in 2005, after 75 years in operation. Gonzmart acquired the rights to the Goody Goody name, the famous ‘secret sauce’ and signage, according to reports in The Tampa Tribune. Earlier this month, veteran restaurateur Marc Zudar joined Columbia Restaurant Group as the Operating Partner of Goody Goody. A search is currently underway for a site and plans are to open the new Goody Goody restaurant later this year…….
Meriden, Connecticut-based Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (203/440-1924 www.pepespizzeria.com) will enter the Boston market later in the Summer with its first location in Massachusetts. Called one of ‘The 13 Most Influential Pizzas of All Time’ by TIME magazine, the 90-year old chain will open a 3200 square foot, 85-seat restaurant at The Mall at Chestnut Hill on Boylson St. in the Chestnut Hill suburb. The unit will feature the popular coal-fired, brick oven pizza menu. The family-owned and operated chain presently operates seven restaurants in Connecticut and one in Yonkers, New York……..
On April 10th, Darden Restaurants (407/245-4000 www.darden.com) will open its fine dining Eddie V’s (www.eddiev.com) seafood and steak restaurant on the lobby level of the mixed-use Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia. Along with its prime seafood creations, USDA prime beef and chops and fresh oyster bar selections, the 9950 square foot unit will offer live nightly music in its V-Lounge. Inspired by the classic restaurants of New Orleans, San Francisco and Boston, the 15-year old Eddie V’s chain operates twelve locations in Texas, Florida, California, Arizona and one in Chicago…...
Fast growing quick casual better-burger chain, BurgerFI (561/844-5528 www.burgerfi.com) has signed its first international development agreement. The North Palm Beach, Florida-based chain has reached an agreement with EFIT SA DE CV to open 40 BurgerFI restaurants in and around Mexico City with the first expected to open by Fall 2015. Comprised of three partners, Luis Antonio Ortiz Dominguez, Alan Jaber and Abraham Cohen, EFIT SA DE SA is experienced in operating, constructing and designing United States franchise chains in Mexico, such as Wingstop and Domino’s Pizza. Introduced in 2011, BurgerFI currently operates 68 locations nationally, and is expected to have 100 by year-end 2015. The restaurants feature fresh, all natural, hormone, steroid and antibiotic-free Angus burgers, as well as its fresh-cut fries, frozen custard, signature hot dogs and craft beer…….
Construction is underway on a 6270 square foot Outback Steakhouse (www.outback.com) that will open in the Melbourne Square in Melbourne, Florida later in the Summer, according to reports in Florida Today. The Bloomin’ Brands (813/282-1225) owned casual steakhouse will have seating for about 233 with a patio. It is pad location beside the Smokey Bones BBQ and fronting onto Rte 192……
In early April, Destin, Florida restaurateurs Tyler Jarvis and Chris Ruyan held the grand opening for the Brotula's Seafood House & Steamer (850/460-8900 www.brotulas.com) full service restaurant that specializes in fresh locally sourced seafood, produce and a wide array of steamed and boiled shellfish platters. The 5500 square foot restaurant is at 210 Harbor Blvd. in Destin, not far from the partners’ Jackacudas Seafood & Sushi (www.jackacudas.com) 250 seat restaurant that open in HarborWalk Village about a year ago……..
Houston, Texas-based Frenchy’s Chicken (713/748-2233 www.frenchyschicken.com) is a chain with about 20 restaurants in operation in Texas specializing in a Southern Louisiana Creole-style menu of spicy chicken and sides. Additional locations are under development and the franchise chain has retained You Squared Media (713/880-3387 www.yousquaredmedua.com) as its advertising agency partner that will tailor an effective marketing strategy paired with a compelling message to help drive sales and fuel growth. The chain’s immediate growth is concentrated within Texas. Frenchy’s franchise growth is lead by Adrian Cross…..