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Who's Opening & Where
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Who's Opening & Where Panera Bread Co. (314-633-7100) is planning to open 24 Panera Bread restaurants throughout the Cincinnati and Columbus, OH areas. The company currently operates more than 740 bakery/cafes throughout approximately 35 states. Its locations, which operate under the Panera and Saint Louis Bread Company banners, offer made-to-order sandwiches built using a variety of artisan breads, including Asiago cheese bread, focaccia and its classic sourdough bread. Its menu also features soups, salads, and gourmet coffees. In addition, Panera sells its bread, bagels, and pastries to go. Approximately 70% of its locations are operated by franchisees.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc. (510-594-2100) is planning to open as many as 20 to 28 Peet’s Coffee & Tea stores this year. The company currently operates approximately 90 coffee shops throughout seven states, Peet’s offers customers more than 30 types of coffee, including more than 20 blends. Its teas run the spectrum from India black to herbal blends. The stores also offer items such as biscotti, mugs and brewing equipment. Most of the company’s stores are located in CA, while others can be found in CO, IL, MA, OR, TX and WA. In addition, Peet’s sells products through specialty channels such as mail order and the Internet. The company also sells its coffee wares through retail grocery stores.
Bass Pro Shops, Inc. (417-873-5000) is planning to open a 250,000 sq.ft. Bass Pro Shops store at AmeriPlex at the Port, a center located north of the Interstate 94/Indiana 249 intersection in Portage, IN. Opening is slated for November. The store will feature a marina where customers can try out the company’s lines of fishing boats, and it will be built with an outpost where shoppers can buy food and gasoline. The company also is planning to open a Bass Pro Shops store at the Rim Shopping Center located on the east side of Interstate 10, north of Loop 1604, in San Antonio, TX. The company currently operates 25 locations throughout 17 states. The stores typically occupy spaces of 280,000 sq.ft. The cavernous outlets sell boats, campers, equipment, and apparel for most outdoor activities and offer features such as archery ranges, fish tanks, snack bars and video arcades. The company also offers specialty catalogs and it owns Tracker Marine (boat manufacturing) and American Rod & Gun (sporting goods wholesale) and runs a resort in the Ozark Mountains.
Taco Bueno Restaurants (214-523-9088) signed development agreements with five franchise groups who have committed to opening more than 70 Taco Bueno locations across NC, OK, east, central and south TX and in NM. The largest development agreement is with Eat, Drink, LLC of TX, which plans to open 48 restaurants during the coming seven years throughout Austin, San Antonio and central and southern TX. Carolina Bueno executed a deal that will take 11 Taco Buenos into the greater Charlotte, NC area. It will be the company’s first entry into the NC market. Comida Bueno signed an agreement to open five Taco Bueno units in east TX during the coming four years. Quality Brand Management signed an agreement to open a restaurant at the Riverwinds Casino in Goldsby, OK and Bueno New Mexico will be opening five restaurants throughout the greater Albuquerque, NM area. Taco Bueno is a Mexican quick-service restaurant that offers fast casual service. The company operates 145 locations throughout AR, KS, OK and TX.
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, Inc. (503-226-3440) is planning to open a McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant at the downtown Westin Hotel across from the Fountain Square area of Cincinnati, OH. The restaurant will occupy 8,000 sq.ft. on the ground floor. Area retail includes Buten Eyewear, M. Hopple and the Cincinnati Reds Dugout Store. McCormick & Schmick currently owns and operates 59 upscale casual-dining restaurants throughout 24 states that offer fish and other seafood dishes from its approximately 90-dish menu. The restaurants operate primarily under the McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant brand, while other locations carry such names as M&S Grill, McCormick’s Fish House & Bar and Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto. Each restaurant offers a full-service bar and regionally distinct menu items.
Food Lion, LLC (704-633-8250) is planning to open nine stores in the upstate region of SC by the end of this year, including Food Lion and Bloom locations. The Bloom stores will be located at the intersection of Highway 81 and Hopewell Road in Anderson; the intersection of Pleasantburg Road and Augusta Road, as well as at the intersection of Batesville Road and Highway 14, in Greenville; on West Wade Hampton Boulevard in Greer; the intersection of Bridges Road and Holland Road in Mauldin and at the intersection of Highway 123 and Old Clemson Highway in Seneca. The Food Lion stores will be located at the intersection of Highway 29 and Old Spartanburg Road in Lyman; the intersection of Highway 25 and Sandy Springs Road in Piedmont and the intersection of Highway 221 and Highway 215 in Roebuck. The Food Lion stores will be approximately 35,000 sq.ft. Food Lion currently operates approximately 1,220 supermarkets under the Food Lion and Bloom banners. Nearly half of the company’s locations are in the Carolinas, but it also has stores in nine other states, including GA, MD and TN.
Hudson’s Grill International, Inc. (214-361-7301) signed a franchise agreement with Creekside Trail, Inc. to open locations throughout WI.
Longs Drug Stores Corp. (925-937-1170) is planning to open 25 Longs Drug stores this year. The openings are expected for existing markets in CA, HI and NV. The company currently operates approximately 476 stores throughout the western U.S. and HI. Longs specializes in selling higher-margin, front-store items such as cosmetics, food, greeting cards, and over-the-counter medications.
Rubio’s Restaurants, Inc. (760-929-8226) signed a franchise agreement with Rubio’s and Food Courts of Nevada, LLC to open five Rubio’s Baja Grill restaurants during the coming five years throughout Las Vegas, NV. The company plans to open its first Rubio’s restaurant this April. Overall, the company is looking to open 10 to 12 restaurants this year, mostly in the last half of the year. The company currently operates approximately 150 Rubio’s Baja Grill casual dining restaurants, featuring fish tacos, lobster burritos, shrimp quesadillas, and other seafood dishes from the Baja region of Mexico. Rubio’s eateries are primarily located in CA, but are also in AZ, CO, NV, OR and UT. It franchises a small number of units, including four in Las Vegas, and licenses the concept to operators that have opened specialty locations in San Diego’s QUALCOMM Stadium, Petco Park Stadium and the San Diego International Airport.
Target Corp. (612-304-6073) is planning to open Target stores throughout HI. Potential locations include Honolulu, central O’ahu, Kapolei, Maui and the Big Island. The company currently operates approximately 1,400 Target and SuperTarget stores throughout 47 states, as well as an online business called Target.com.
Port City Java, Inc. (910-796-6646) is planning to open as many as 100 Port City Java locations this year. In addition to hot, chilled, and flavored coffees Port Java offers teas, sodas, waters, espresso, cappuccino, iced drinks, frappes, freezes, shakes, fresh-squeezed lemonade and Italian sodas. Port City Java operates approximately 50 locations in the U.S., Asia, South America, and Europe.
Damon’s International, Inc. (614-442-7900) is planning to open campus locations this year. Damon’s International operates and franchises more than 150 Damon’s Grill casual-dining restaurants throughout 24 states, mostly in and around the Great Lakes area. Its eateries feature grilled steaks, ribs, chicken, and seafood, as well as appetizers. Each location also offers a dining room along with a sports-themed bar and entertainment area called Damon’s Clubhouse.
Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp. (617-323-9200) is planning to open as many as 25 Uno Chicago Grill locations this year. The company operates and franchises approximately 200 Uno Chicago Grill restaurants known for its deep-dish, Chicago-style pizza. The casual-dining spots also serve pasta, steak, seafood and sandwiches. The company’s restaurants are located throughout approximately 30 states, primarily in the Northeast. About 120 of its locations are company-owned, and the rest are franchised.
Walgreen Co. (847-914-2500) is planning to open approximately 475 Walgreens stores this year. Walgreen currently operates approximately 5,068 stores throughout 45 states and Puerto Rico, and has three mail order facilities. Prescription drugs account for nearly 64% of sales; the rest comes from general merchandise, over-the-counter medications, cosmetics and groceries. For added convenience, more than two-thirds of its stores offer drive-thru pharmacies, and almost all offer one-hour photo processing.
The Home Depot, Inc. (770-433-8211) is planning to open four fuel/convenience stores during the first half of this year, and possibly as many as 300 locations by 2010. The chain’s concept is called Fuel. The stores will occupy spaces of 3,000 sq.ft. and will contain 14 fueling stations. The company currently operates approximately 1,940 stores throughout 50 U.S. states, Washington, DC, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. It targets the do-it-yourself and professional markets with a broad product assortment, up to 50,000 items, including lumber, floor and wall coverings, plumbing, gardening supplies, tools, paint, and even appliances. It’s the largest seller of garden products in North America and also runs more than 50 EXPO Design Center stores, which are showrooms featuring bath, kitchen, and lighting products.
Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc. (904-886-8300) is planning to open a 2,100 sq.ft. Firehouse Subs shop at the intersection of Walton Way and 15th Street in Augusta, GA. Opening is slated for next month. During the coming several years, the company is looking to open 200 more locations. The company currently operates six locations in the area, including two in Martinez, one in North Augusta and one in Evans. Firehouse Restaurant Group operates and franchises approximately 200 Firehouse Subs sandwich shops throughout 12 southern states. The chain offers a variety of hot and cold sub-style sandwiches, as well as soups, salads and sides.
Gap, Inc. (650-952-4400) is planning to expand its Gap and Banana Republic brands into two southeast Asian markets. One of Gap, Inc.’s subsidiaries has signed agreements with wholly owned subsidiaries of FJ Benjamin Holdings Ltd. to operate Gap and Banana Republic stores throughout Singapore and Malaysia. The company is planning to open approximately 30 stores throughout Singapore and Malaysia by 2010, opening the first Gap location this Fall and the first Banana Republic store next year. Gap operates approximately 3,000 stores worldwide. Other chains include GapBody, GapKids and babyGap. All Gap clothing is private-label merchandise made specifically for the company.
Taco Del Mar Franchising Corp. (206-624-7060) is planning to open 200 Taco Del Mar locations nationwide this year. Taco Del Mar Franchising operates a chain of approximately 175 quick-service Mexican restaurants throughout more than 10 western states, AK and Canada. The fresh-Mex eateries specialize in tacos and burritos made with fresh beef, chicken, fish and veggie fillings. The company will open about 20 new units in western Canada, co-branded with Mac’s Convenience Stores. Expansion is also taking place on the eastern U.S. coast. |