Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. — Waters Edge Wineries®, an innovative urban winery system, has signed a franchise agreement to open a Waters Edge Winery & Bistro in Sarasota, Fla. This new location will join 11 others already operating throughout California, Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. Local entrepreneurs Michael Hayja, Dr. Sean Castellucci and Christopher McKenna of Artisan Vinification, LLC, will own and manage the location in Sarasota, which is expected to open in spring 2020. “We are excited to debut our brand in the Sunshine State, and with the support of …
restaurants
Chicago — Starbucks Coffee Co. has opened its Reserve Roastery in downtown Chicago. The 35,000-square-foot, five-story roastery opened to the public on November 15, 2019 and is the largest Starbucks location. The store is located on the Magnificent Mile in a space formerly occupied by Crate & Barrel. All of the coffee beans roasted at the facility are served and sold on site. There are three coffee bars at the roastery. Baristas make classic espresso beverages at the coffee bar on the main floor. An experiential bar can be found …
Dallas — MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes plans to provide its guests and franchise owners with a fresh and elevated dining experience. The “better burger” fast-casual franchise plans an interior and logo refresh that will roll out beginning in the first quarter of 2020. MOOYAH plans to open 14 new locations with the refreshed look next year; all existing locations will remodel by the end of 2024. The new prototype and design come at a critical point for the brand, as the company is actively ramping up franchising efforts in …
Atlanta — Moe’s Southwest Grill will be the first brand in the Mexican fast-casual space to open an all-digital/kiosk-only location. The first two restaurants are slated to open in Pittsburgh and Charlottesville, Va., in first quarter 2020. Each store will come equipped with four self-order kiosks and will feature Moe’s new brand design, which includes Moe’s new logo, colors, paint, furniture and more. The Pittsburgh location will be owned and operated by Moe’s multi-unit franchisee Mike Geiger, who has experienced recent success with his newest urban location, which added a …
— By Katie Lee — At Mamoun’s Falafel, it’s one big, happy (growing) family — with over 40 new franchises soon to join the fold. As one of the oldest falafel restaurants in New York City, Mamoun’s Falafel has long held the title of being the most authentic and flavorful falafel in the city. The first location opened in Greenwich Village in 1971 and has been family owned and operated for over 45 years. Founder Mamoun Chater, who had emigrated from Damascus, Syria, had little time for the …
Boston — Figs by Todd English, the casual dining concept founded by award-winning celebrity chef and restaurateur Todd English, is now franchising with the help of Fransmart, an industry-leading franchise development company, to bring its original thin crust pizza and authentic Italian cuisine across the globe. Originally launched in the historic Charlestown neighborhood in Boston, Figs already has a successful international footprint to build from, with four existing corporate locations throughout the United States and three in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Together with Fransmart, the concept is seeking …
Atlanta — The Krystal Company has hired two senior executives with extensive QSR experience to lead its ongoing revitalization plan. Tim Ward fills the newly created position of president and chief operating officer, and Bruce Vermilyea joins the brand as chief financial officer. Ward joins Krystal from Captain D’s where he served as chief operating officer. During his tenure with Captain D’s, the company enjoyed 8 straight years of positive same-store sales and developed a pipeline of over 100 new restaurant locations. Ward held previous roles at Arby’s/RTM and NPC International/Pizza Hut. …
Cincinnati — International retail design firm FRCH NELSON has partnered with KFC SOPAC to design an innovative, pilot project in Newcastle, Australia, opening to the public this week. With a growing number of consumers ordering through online channels, the goal of the new concept was to develop a more efficient operating model that celebrated this change in consumer behavior. The new concept includes five drive-thru lanes that allow customers to order and pay for a meal through the brand’s app or website, including designated lanes for more traditional, on-the-spot orders. …
Los Angeles — The Dolly Llama, a popular waffle concept that currently dominates the Los Angeles dessert-scene with its own unique take on Hong Kong’s iconic Bubble Waffle, has signed with DCV Franchise Group as its franchising partner to expand the unique and exciting brand to major media markets across the country. “Having proven ourselves by dominating the ice cream & waffle scene in one of the most competitive markets in the country, Los Angeles, we are thrilled to be working with DCV to continue to grow and expand the …
Atlanta — This is it! Southern Kitchen and BBQ, an Atlanta-based Southern home-style restaurant brand, has launched its franchising program and signed professional NBA player Paul Millsap as its first area developer for Greater Atlanta. The newly revamped Southern food brand has also appointed Tamala Fowler as its CEO and partnered with renowned BBQ restaurateur and Food Network star Pat Neely to assist in recipe development and new menu offerings. This Is It! was founded more than 35 years ago by the Anthony family, which has a rich, 80-year history …