Westborough, Mass. — BJ’s Wholesale Club, a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States, is continuing its expansion by opening four new clubs as the first phase of its 2022 development plans. BJ’s newest clubs will be located in Warwick, R.I.; Lady Lake, Fla.; Canton, Mich.; and Greenburgh, N.Y. “We continue to accelerate our expansion and we’re excited to open these new locations,” says Bill Werner, executive vice president, strategy and development, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We’re always looking for ways to bring the value and convenience …
franchise development
Denver — Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, a leading coffee franchise renowned for its premium sourcing, roasting and quality 100% Hawaiian coffees and international blends, unveils new prototypes that emphasize franchisee and customer flexibility, including double drive-thru lanes and streamlined order pickups. Debuting this year is the brand’s freestanding full café with drive-thru model, spanning approximately 1,650 to 1,800 square feet, that is slated to open in Hendersonville, Tenn., in late third quarter 2022. As an evolution of this model, that is gaining vast interest among prospective franchisees, the brand …
The Hummus & Pita Co., which marks its 10th anniversary this year, keeps its location count low and its bar for quality high. — By Katie Lee — With two years of pandemic-related upheaval in the rearview mirror, The Hummus & Pita Co. views 2022, the year of its 10th anniversary, as a chance to reset and refocus: a fresh slate to reenergize its Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food roots and not to stray from its core philosophy: “real food that’s real good.” And that goes for each …
Sterling Heights, Mich. — Jet’s Pizza®, known for its famous Detroit-style pizza, is growing its brand more than ever coming into 2022. This year, Jet’s plans to open 30 new locations. It will expand westward and introduce Jet’s in new states and markets, including Utah, Kansas, New Mexico, Washington and Las Vegas. Expansion also continues in existing markets, including Denver; Phoenix; Austin, Texas; New York City; Chicago; and Naples and Pensacola, Fla. “It’s truly incredible to see the love for our brand grow. People appreciate quality and that’s what sets …
Minneapolis — Winmark Corporation, North America’s leading franchisor of sustainable resale brands Once Upon A Child®, Plato’s Closet®, Play It Again Sports®, Music Go Round® and Style Encore®, continues to lead the resale industry. In 2021, its franchise locations extended the life of 158 million items, and Winmark expanded its available territories to over 2,800 across all five of its brands throughout the U.S. and Canada. Winmark – the Resale Company® closes out the year with 46 awarded franchises and has its eyes set on aggressive franchise development leading into 2022. While the past 2 years have been challenging for …
New York, N.Y. — The Halal Guys, the fast-casual American halal restaurant famous for pioneering halal fare in America, is celebrating its 100th store opening this month in Pittsburgh. “We are so grateful to reach this historic milestone as a business. From a food cart on the streets of New York City to an international franchise, we would not be here without the support of our first fans and customers. We thrive off growth and innovation and are excited to see what comes next,” says Ahmed Abouelenein, CEO of The …
Atlanta — GPS Hospitality, one the nation’s largest franchisees of BURGER KING®, Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen and Pizza Hut®, has promoted Roger Wood to region vice president whose oversight includes eight district leaders and 56 Michigan restaurants in GPS’ newly created Central Division. Wood initially joined GPS Hospitality in 2015 as director of operations for the Michigan North Region which encapsulated 29 restaurants. With more than 35 years of QSR restaurant leadership experience, Wood spent 15 years with an area Taco Bell franchisee expanding its footprint from eight to over 70 …
West Palm Beach, Fla. — QDOBA Mexican Eats® (QDOBA), the largest franchise opportunity within the fast-casual Mexican segment, has signed a multi-unit franchise development agreement to bring 30 locations to North Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in southern Florida over the next 10 years. At the helm of the brand’s largest deal is Michael Guiffre, who has over two decades of leadership experience within the construction industry overseeing organization structure, customer relations and development. Guiffre’s first venture into restaurant operations was with Dunkin’, where he was the operating partner …
Chino Hills, Calif. — Roll-Em-Up Taquitos, the nation’s first taquito-focused franchise, has a newly signed deal that will bring 15 locations to the Denver area, which will mark the brand’s entrance into Colorado. This new deal comes at a time when Roll-Em-Up Taquitos is beginning to expand its presence across the U.S., and had a record-breaking development year selling 420 units in 2021. All 15 locations will be owned by Robert Barsky and Igor L. Barsky, who bring over 40 years of experience operating several successful business models. “The Colorado development deal is …
Newport Beach, Calif. — Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain for more than 40 years, has opened its first Idaho location in Meridian. The new restaurant is owned and operated by Gem State Pies, the franchise group that recently inked a multi-unit deal with Mountain Mike’s Pizza to open five locations throughout Idaho’s Treasure Valley. “We are proud to bring Mountain Mike’s Pizza to the great state of Idaho, and it’s not lost on us how clearly the values of Idaho residents overlap with the family and community-based pillars on which …