Franchising
Donatos, Hungry Howie's, Mountain Mike's add locations
August 26, 2020
As we begin the last four months of a very tough restaurant year, pizza operators are clearly not resting, with numerous chains announcing store openings.
Western U.S. sports-focused chain, Mountain Mike's, opened a store in the Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, California, area in the midst of what the brand said is a foodie hub, on 17th Street on the border of the two cities, according to a news release.
The location is the second in Orange County, in addition to one in Lake Forest. A third store will open in the county in Huntington Beach later this summer. The decision to plant deeper roots in Orange County was spearheaded by the principal owners and Co-CEOs Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme, who acquired the brand in 2017.
The 2,740-square-foot location features an arcade zone, two patios, flexible seating and partitions to create semi-private space for parties, a rounded bar top and big screen TVs. It is operated by Mountain Mike's franchisee, Yvette Pettit, as one of more than 200 locations across California, Oregon and Utah.
Donatos Pizza
On the other side of the nation in Knoxville, Tennessee, Donatos Pizza has signed an agreement with Smoky Mountain Pizza LLC for the development of three area restaurants, a news release said.
"This success, coupled with a relevant design that emphasizes premium pizza delivered, continues to attract franchise operators interested in joining the growing brand. …" Jeff Baldwin, Donatos vice president of development & franchising, said in the release. "The pandemic has reaffirmed our focus on delivering a premium product.
"When you think about it, pizza is all about bringing people together. During these days of social distancing, we have still been able to do that through pick-up and no-contact delivery,."
The expansion into Knoxville is part of a larger growth strategy in the region for Donatos. The company has two restaurants in the Nashville area and has set its sights on additional expansion in Memphis and Chattanooga.
Nationally, Donatos has 162 restaurants across 10 states and its products are proudly served in more than 15 sports and entertainment venues.
Hungry Howie's Pizza
Finally, Detroit-based, Hungry Howie's Pizza, is opening its newest store Wednesday on East LaFayette Street in Motown, according to a release.
Martin Manna, Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce president, owns the store and plans to open four more within the next three to four years.
"I am thrilled to be part of the brand's expanding footprint in Detroit," Manna said in the release. "Hungry Howie's has a reputation of great customer service and delicious pizza. Once I saw their advertisement, I jumped at the chance to bring Hungry Howie's back to Detroit. I'm excited to partner with them to spread Hungry Howie's cheesy goodness throughout the city."
The company has nearly 550 locations in 20 states and is based in Madison Heights, Michigan.
Included In This Story
Mountain Mike's Pizza
For over 45 years, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis and Mountain-sized pizzas, has been quietly building one of the largest regional pizza franchises in the West. Today we're developing coast-to-coast with 300+ restaurants, and we're primed for explosive growth nationwide
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