Award-winning Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch restaurant First Watch has announced plans to open its first restaurant in Lexington in the fall of 2012. The new 3,500 sq. ft. restaurant will be located at 3071 Richmond Road, on the corner of Man O’ War Boulevard, in the Kroger shopping plaza.
The First Watch restaurant will be operated by the Holland Rosen Group, LLC as part of a multi-unit franchise agreement to open a total of eight restaurants throughout Lexington and Louisville over the next five years. Each restaurant is expected to employ about 25 local employees.
“We have been very fortunate to align ourselves with excellent restaurant concepts and First Watch is no exception,” said Gary Holland of Holland Rosen Group, LLC. “We are excited to be able to share the innovative concept of First Watch with the community of Lexington through both employment and a tasty selection of freshly prepared offerings.”
A recipient of more than 200 Best Breakfast and Best Brunch accolades nationwide, First Watch offers traditional favorites such as omelets, pancakes, sandwiches and salads, to unique specialty items like the fan-favorite Chickichanga and Fresh Fruit Crepes. In March 2012, First Watch launched a new menu offering 15 new items with fresh, new ingredients, including house-roasted fresh vegetables, and house-made granola, Muesli cereal and Ciabatta bread salad croutons. All menu items are freshly prepared to order and the restaurant does not use deep fryers or heat lamps.
We are thrilled with the opportunity to introduce our concept for the first time to the Lexington market,” said Chris Tomasso, chief marketing officer for First Watch. “We are equally excited to partner with proven operators like Gary and Ron and are confident that First Watch will be as well received as it has been in so many communities for nearly 30 years.”
The new restaurant will feature a new interior design concept known as “Connect.” Unveiled in the fall of 2011, it “connects” traditional First Watch design elements with contemporary executions by maximizing natural light provided during the restaurant’s daytime hours, and incorporating color tones intended to convey the warm and inviting personality of the First Watch brand. The design also accentuates an open-kitchen concept, which reinforces First Watch’s honest approach to fresh food preparation.
In addition to serving unique and fresh entrées, First Watch offers its exclusive Sunrise Select Premium Blend Coffee. The special blend is made from slow-roasted, hand-selected, high-grown Panamanian, Colombian and Mexican coffee beans.
First Watch serves its entire menu seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The restaurant also offers guests complimentary newspapers and free Wi-Fi Internet access.
First Watch has specialized in award-winning, made-to-order Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch for nearly 30 years. A recipient of more than 200 “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” accolades, First Watch offers traditional favorites such as omelets, pancakes, sandwiches and salads, to unique specialty items like the fan-favorite Chickichanga and Fresh Fruit Crepes. It is currently the largest and fastest-growing daytime-only restaurant concept in the U.S. with nearly 100 restaurants in 13 states and additional units under development as part of the Bradenton, FL-based company’s aggressive growth strategy. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.com. For franchise information, please visit http://www.firstwatch.com/franchise-overview.htm.
Business partners Gary Holland and Ron Rosen, founders of Holland Rosen Group, LLC, are currently the largest franchisees of Skyline Chili with 12 restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, as well as three La Rosa’s Pizza restaurants. “Our focus on providing each customer with a positive dining experience has allowed us to expand our company from a staff of 20 to more than 600 over the past eleven years. We fully intend to continue our operational excellence with the First Watch restaurants that we develop in the Lexington/Louisville market,” Holland said.
