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Shopping Centers Today -> December 2004
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HUNGRY FOR MORENew restaurant concepts see growth through retail centersBY DONNA MITCHELL It’s getting easier to tempt consumers out of their kitchens and into restaurants. By 2010 the restaurant industry will control 53 percent of the total U.S. food dollar, up from 46.4 percent today (and only 25 percent in 1955), according to the National Restaurant Association. “It’s a reflection of the fact that more women have full-time jobs, people are working longer hours and commute times are getting longer,” said Sharon Zackfia, a restaurant industry analyst at William Blair & Co. After a long recession, restaurants are turning a corner, with the restaurant association’s restaurant performance index up a solid 1.9 percent compared to 2003. The uptick has encouraged many regional restaurateurs to take their national expansion plans off the back burner. For a brief look at some of the hottest new and/or expanding concepts in dining, keep reading. Jazzman’s Café Gaithersburg,
Md.No. of stores: 120 (127 by year-end) Preferred locations: Shopping centers, college campuses, health care facilities Leasing contact: Damon Liever, senior vice president of retail brands, (610) 366-5377 • Specialty teas, coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and salads are served in an upscale atmosphere that includes colorful decor and jazz music. The chain is a concept of Gaithersburg, Md.-based Sodexho, which operates 23 Jazzman’s Cafés, 60 kiosks and 12 carts. O’Naturals Falmouth,
MaineNo. of stores: Four, with plans to open more in New England Preferred locations: High-traffic suburban areas with office presence Leasing contact: Mac McCabe, president and CEO, (207) 874-4911 • Food is served fast, but using organically grown ingredients. Menu includes chicken, steak, salads, vegetarian sandwiches and Asian-style stir-fry noodles, offered in a comfortable, brightly lit environment. Concept launched in 2001. Today units operate in Falmouth and Acton, Mass.; Portland, Maine; and Portsmouth, N.H. Thaifoon Taste of Asia Scottsdale,
Ariz.No. of stores: Four, growth plans undetermined Preferred locations: Major shopping centers in Western United States. Leasing contact: Kevin Jennier, director of construction, (760) 250-3939 • This full-service restaurant offers diners modern Asian-style food in a stylish, affordable atmosphere. Owner Randy Schoch founded Thaifoon in 2001, inspired by 20 years he spent living in Hawaii and traveling throughout Southeast Asia. Restaurants feature full bars and average about $3.5 million in annual sales per unit, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. Huddle House Scottdale,
Ga.No. of stores: 381, growth plans undetermined Preferred locations: out parcels and other freestanding sites Franchising contact: Brianne Skinner, franchise sales administrator, (800) 418-9555. • Huddle House, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, has revamped itself with a new logo and lighter foods meant to attract women and families, as well as cheerier, more-contemporary interior and exterior designs. The 366-unit, 24-hour chain has steadily added stores and grown sales since 1964. Potbelly Sandwich Works ChicagoNo. of stores: 62, with plans for 70 nationwide by year-end Preferred locations: Freestanding, in-line Leasing contact: Edgar Cepuritis, senior director of real estate, (312) 475-3868 • Potbelly Sandwich Works started as a side business run out of an antique shop. Today the chain serves sandwiches, soups, shakes, smoothies and desserts at its 62 restaurants in Chicago, Dallas and the Washington, D.C., area, as well as in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In keeping with its origins, the chain enhances the upscale atmosphere of its restaurants with antique decorations.
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