Daddy’s Chicken Shack signed a regional development agreement with Denver-based businessman Doug Dahlstrom and his family to expand the brand in Colorado and Texas. The agreement calls for Dahlstrom to develop 20 restaurants, with 10 in Denver and another 10 in Fort Worth. The agreement is one of several regional deals for Daddy’s Chicken Shack, which has 60 units now in development.
Hawaiian cuisine brand Pokeworks signed a trio of deals to develop 10 units in Orange County, California and Queens, New York, as well as Arlington and Fort Worth, Texas. Franchisee Andrew Yoo plans to open four units Orange County, and entrepreneur John Tseng is developing three in the New York City borough. In Texas, business partners and cousins Marcos and Denis Blanco will develop three. Founded in 2015, Pokeworks has more than 60 locations across 20 states.
Courtesy Pokeworks
San Antonio entrepreneurs Korina and Michael Domgard signed a deal with Verlo Mattress to open seven units across the city they’re based in. The new locations will add to the existing 34 stores in seven states.
Cryotherapy franchise iCryo will expand in Connecticut after signing an agreement with a group of franchisees including Tracey and Greg Miller, as well as Ron Pepe, Michael Krassner and Tom Wilson. The team, which signed for seven locations, brings health and wellness experience to the deal—Pepe, Krassner and Wilson were all in the Planet Fitness system and are also Crunch Fitness franchisees—while Tracey Miller has 30 years of nursing experience.
Phenix Salon Suites signed a five-unit agreement with entrepreneur John Kunka, who plans to develop locations in the southwestern and western suburbs of Chicago. Kunka, who has 25 years of experience in investment management, plans to open the first unit in early 2023. Based in California, Phenix Salon Suites was founded in 2007 and began franchising in 2012. It now has 330 units across 33 states.
Wellness and anti-aging brand Serotonin Centers signed a development agreement for five new units in New Jersey. The deal is with entrepreneur pair Dr. Lisa Granado and Danielle D’Alessio. Their five units will be the first outside of Florida for the brand.
Utah-based company Beans & Brews Coffeehouse reached an agreement with entrepreneurs in Arizona to open three locations in the Phoenix area. The deal is with Howard Sparks Jr. and his wife Brandi Adams, as well as Pete and Paige Hargis and Tabitha Carter. The franchise team plans to open their first location this fall. Beans & Brews Coffeehouse began franchising in 2004 and has 67 locations open across four states.
Courtesy Beans & Brews Coffeehouse.
Electronics retailer PayMore signed a five-unit agreement for the Washington, D.C., metro area, with locations set to open in Virginia and Maryland. The deal is with husband-and-wife duo Dan and Lindsay Lowe, who have franchise experience from operating 36 Firehouse Subs.
Chicken Salad Chick inked a three-unit agreement with Kim and Garrett Seaman for the Chicago metro area. The agreement comes after the brand opened its 200th location and announced its western regional expansion. Founded in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick is now in 17 states.
Buddy’s Home Furnishing signed several multi-unit agreements as it continues to expand on its 325 locations nationwide. One of the deals is with Buddy Mac Holdings, led by Ian MacDonald and already a Buddy’s franchisee with 82 stores, to open two additional units. Another franchise operator, WRE, signed a deal to open six locations in Virginia. WRE, owned by Robert Smith and Ernie Thompson, will also convert its existing rent-to-own locations to Buddy’s.
International Development News
FAT Brands signed an agreement with Menafex to open Marble Slab Creamery in Egypt, with 10 units set for development over the next decade. The first is scheduled to open in Cairo near the end of 2023.FAT Brands is the umbrella company for Marble Slab and 16 other restaurant concepts with more than 2,300 units worldwide. In addition to Marble Slab Creamery, Menafex is also the master franchise operator of Mooyah Burgers in the Middle East.
Xponential Fitness is set to bring cycling studios to Japan with the signing of a master franchise agreement. The deal, providing the opportunity to license at least 30 CycleBar studios in the country over the next 10 years, is with entrepreneur and Club Pilates Japan CEO Naoki Shimabukuro.