Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Kevin Armantrout, who has held executive roles with several nationally recognized brands, has been named chief operating officer for Bagels & Co. which has several locations now open in Pennsylvania and Florida with plans to expand to additional cities across the U.S.
Armantrout has built a distinguished career leading high-growth restaurant and hospitality brands through expansion, operational transformation and cultural renewal. His extensive experience in management, site selection, construction and building a strong foundation for franchising from the ground up are an asset to Bagels & Co.
Previously Armantrout served as president and COO of Another Broken Egg Café and franchise president & corporate vice president of operations for Ruth’s Chris Steak House. He also served as president and COO of ParkerStark Management where he was responsible for multi-unit, multi-state operations and concept development for three new brands. Throughout his career Armantrout led multi-unit operations across the country, overseeing large-scale P&L statements, developing new concepts and building scalable infrastructure to support both corporate and franchise growth.
“I began in the restaurant business as a dishwasher when I was 13 years old and have never worked in another industry,” Armantrout says. “Joining Bagels & Co. is a natural progression in my career. I will apply all of my experiences, use everything in my toolbox and tap into my network of connections. An opportunity like this doesn’t come around often for someone with my background. There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. I can see Bagels & Co. becoming a major player and brand leader in the bagel space.”
Bagels & Co. plans to expand to additional cities across the U.S., including in the college towns of Columbus, Ohio; Gainesville, Fla.; and Tempe, Ariz. The popular quick-serve, family-friendly bagel shop is known for having more than a dozen varieties of Brooklyn-style bagels. The café also offers a selection of breakfast sandwiches and lunch options, as well as coffee and specialty drinks from La Colombe. All new Bagels & Co. locations will have indoor and/or outdoor seating, take-out and grab-and-go, plus online ordering on major delivery apps. The first several locations are now open in Philadelphia; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and Tallahassee, Fla., with plans to expand to additional cities, including many large university towns, across the U.S. For more information, visit www.thebagelsandco.com.
SOURCE: Bagels & Co.