Foodservice Management

Huntington Beach, Calif. -- BJ's Restaurants said Wednesday it has opened a new restaurant in Puyallup, Wash.

The 8,500-sq.-ft. BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse opened Monday  at South Hill Mall, a 1 million-sq.-ft. Cafaro Co. property.

"We are very excited to open our first restaurant of fiscal 2013 in Puyallup, a suburb of the Seattle market," said Greg Trojan, BJ’s president and CEO.

Chicago -- Lemont, Ill.-based Englewood Construction said Wednesday that its restaurant group has begun work on four new projects, including a food court in New Jersey’s largest outlet mall, a steakhouse in a downtown Chicago luxury hotel and two suburban Chicago mall restaurants.

“As we head out of the recession, we’re seeing more importance placed on dining and entertainment, and the focus is on redevelopment,” said William Di Santo, president, Englewood Construction.

New Orleans -- Smoothie King Franchises said Monday it plans to open 70 franchise and 30 corporate locations across the U.S. in 2013.

Since December 2012, the smoothie franchise has acquired six additional locations in Florida and Texas, bringing the total number of corporate stores to seven. The company also has opened six new franchise locations since the start of the year.

Atlanta -- Global Franchise Group announced Tuesday a master franchise agreement with Western Brands PVT for the opening of the first Marble Slab Creamery locations in the country of Pakistan.

The deal calls for the development of 10 Marble Slab Creamery stores in Pakistan over a 10-year period, with the 5,000 sq. ft. flagship store opening up in the major city of Lahore, Pakistan.

Marble Slab Creamery is managed by GFG Management, a subsidiary of Global Franchise Group.

Orlando, Fla. -- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects said Tuesday it has been awarded contracts to design three Ale House restaurants — in Winter Park, Fla., Queens, N.Y., and the Philadelphia area.

The restaurants average 10,000 sq. ft. each.
 

Dallas -- Corner Bakery Café said Wednesday it plans to open 18 restaurants in the Boston area, joining under-development markets in neighboring Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The bakery-café concept is targeting its growth through franchising deals with restaurant pros capable of opening multiple units. Corner Bakery has set a goal of doubling its current U.S. footprint of 147 locations by the end of 2015.

Columbus, Ohio – Bob Evans Farms said Tuesday it will divest its Mimi’s Café restaurant chain, selling it to LeDuff America – owner of Bruegger’s Bagels – for $50 million.

LeDuff America, a subsidiary of French bakery conglomerate Groupe LeDuff SA, will add the 145 Mimi’s units to its current portfolio of café-bakeries and coffee shops, including La Madeleine Country French Cafe, Brioche Doree, Bruegger's Bagels, Timothy's Coffee and Michel's Baguette.

Chicago -- There were 4,442 more restaurants in the U.S. in fall 2012 than there were in fall 2011, according to a recent U.S. restaurant census conducted by The NPD Group.

The total number of U.S. restaurants is now 616,008, a .7% increase over last year, based on NPD’s Fall 2012 ReCount, which is a count of commercial restaurant locations in the United States compiled in the spring and fall each year.

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, owner of the Old Chicago, Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch banners among others, said Friday it has named Mike Mrlik as SVP of CraftWorks and as president of Old Chicago.

Mrlik is charged with leading Old Chicago’s brand refresh as 55 locations roll out a redesign with an emphasis on ramped-up service and experience.

San Jose, Calif. -- Sandwich chain Togo's Eateries Inc. announced Monday it is in development on 30 new Togo’s units, as the company executed as many franchise agreements in 2012 in order to add to its West Coast presence.