Scooter’s Coffee signed a pair of multi-unit deals to grow in Illinois and Pennsylvania. Bradley, Clarie and Austyn Chivington are slated to open five Pennsylvania locations. Rushikesh Sudhir Shah, meanwhile, will develop three units in Illinois. Founded in 1998, Scooter’s Coffee has more than 750 locations in 30 states with a 664-square-foot drive-thru design.
Indoor pickleball brand Dill Dinkers signed a 50-unit development agreement for Texas with Justin Goehring and Brock Oldenkamp. Goehring brings experience as a franchisee with Bazooka Charlie’s Barber Co., while Oldenkamp owns a construction company. Established in 2022, Dill Dinkers has five locations open.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers signed a deal to expand its presence in Texas with an existing franchisee. Brothers John, Nick and Joe DePinto, owners of Lone Star Custard, inked a 20-unit agreement to develop Freddy’s in the Houston area. Lone Star Custard, which already owns 24 restaurants in other Texas markets, also acquired 18 existing Freddy’s in Houston. Freddy’s has more than 520 locations.
Dill Dinkers, an indoor pickleball concept, is an emerging brand tapping into the growing popularity of the sport.
Fitness company Lumin signed an eight-unit deal with the franchisee Louisiana Fit for Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans. Louisiana Fit is led by Kevin Moody, who’s operated hundreds of franchise locations in the U.S. with brands such as Pizza Hut, Planet Fitness and Popeyes. Founded in 2019, Lumin has one studio open in the Dallas metro. Earlier this year Lumin, which uses virtual coaches, inked its first franchise agreement.
Smoothie King inked a six-unit deal to expand in Michigan. The agreement, signed with existing franchisees the OM Group, will bring the brand to the Grand Rapids market. OM Group is led by Amit Patel, Kalpesh Patel and Amanda Ristic. Founded in 1973, the Dallas-based brand has more than 1,200 units worldwide.
Electronics retail concept PayMore signed a five-unit agreement for the Knoxville, Tennessee, market. The agreement is with Varniraj Patel and Mukesh Nayi, who bring experience in hotel and gas station ownership with brands including Shell, Marathon, Hilton and Wyndham. Founded in 2011, PayMore has 33 stores.
Lumin Fitness leans into technology with AI-powered virtual coaches.
Golden Corral is expanding its presence in Florida with a two-unit agreement. The deal is with existing franchisee Britt Guyer, who will open units in Clearwater-Largo and St. Petersburg. Guyer operates two Golden Corral locations. Founded in 1973, buffet brand Golden Corral has more than 360 restaurants.
Turnkey salon suite brand Image Studios signed a three-unit agreement for the Melbourne, Florida, market. The deal is with entrepreneur Susie Kroll, who has a background in consulting. Founded in 2015, Image Studios has 80 locations.
Serotonin Centers signed an agreement for two locations in Camden County, New Jersey. The agreement is with brothers Suleman, Eshban and Naaman Emmanuel, along with friend and business partner Aakash Patel. Founded in 2021, the anti-aging therapy brand has 12 locations.
International Development News
Education brand Mathnasium Learning Centers inked a master franchise agreement to bring at least 25 locations to Romania over six years. The deal is with Dana Banica, who’s also a franchisee with Logiscool and the owner of more than 60 coding schools. Established in 2002, Mathnasium has more than 1,100 locations worldwide.
Fitness concept F45 Training signed a master franchise agreement to expand its presence in South Africa. The agreement is with Karen Loader, an existing F45 franchisee through her company Functional Fitness South Africa. Founded in 2013, F45 has more than 2,000 studios in 50 countries.