After opening two new restaurants in Waconia, Minnesota and Oshkosh, Wisconsin earlier this year, Ground Round is now gearing up to open four additional restaurants in September and October in Farmington, Minnesota, East Windsor and Lakewood, New Jersey, and Ponca City, Oklahoma. This will bring their opening total to six new restaurants in 2013, with a pipeline to open a similar number of new restaurants in 2014. Two of these upcoming openings are in New Jersey and part of a 5-unit Development Agreement with franchisee, Recreation Centers LLC, who also owns and operates multiple bowling centers adjacent to each of these restaurants. “East Windsor and Lakewood are next up following our opening last fall in Bradley Beach, and we have two more openings planned for 2014 as well,” explains Dennis Todero, Director of Operations for Recreation Centers LLC. “Each project includes a full renovation of the Bowling Centers as well as a conversion of our restaurants to Ground Round, a brand our guests know and are excited to see returning to the New Jersey area.”
The openings in Farmington, Minnesota and Ponca City, Oklahoma are also conversions making a brand change to Ground Round and are owned by new franchisees joining Ground Round’s franchise family. Kirk Zeaman is the lead partner of the Farmington franchise, Stretch Development, Inc., and Marc and Kathy Leavell are the owners and operators of the Ponca City franchise. “Kathy and I have been in this business since 1983 in Ponca City and we are excited to bring a new Ground Round Grill & Bar to our community,” states Marc Leavell.
All four of these new restaurants will feature the two room layout and design Ground Round is known for, with a family dining room, sports bar lounge and menu offering of more than 80 items, including a lunch and dinner menu, limited time offers, daily specials and a full kids menu.
“Ground Round is a known brand and we continue to see new unit growth opportunities and franchisees joining our group to partner in a brand owned by our franchisees and where they’ll always have input in our direction,” says Jack Crawford, President & CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative (Ground Round IOC).
Ground Round IOC represents a group of independent franchise owners who have owned and led their own brand since 2004. They offer two distinctive brands for development and a unique franchise model whereby franchisees can own their own restaurant along with an ownership/membership share in the overall future and growth of the brand. Ground Round IOC operates restaurants spread across the Midwest and Northeast areas of the United States, with headquarters based in Freeport, Maine. For more information, visit www.groundround.com.
