Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine (SCCF, LLC) announced today that they have signed a four restaurant development license for their iconic Cuban lunch restaurants in the Washington, DC Metro area. James Lambert, the Chief Operating Officer of the Running Cedar Restaurant Group, is part of a family with deep roots in the hospitality industry. He has had a stellar career in public service with the Federal Government but saw a void in the DC restaurant scene for a Cuban restaurant concept to fill and his instincts took over from there. Mr. Lambert said: “The Washington DC area embraces a wide range of cultures and cuisines and we believe that Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine will provide its consumers with a unique and exciting new dining option that places high quality food at the center of its offering.” He continued: “I believe a business has an obligation to not only provide a quality product to its customers, but to also act as a responsible employer and as a constructive, engaged member of its community. I’m very motivated to bring this new restaurant business the city that I love and call home.”
Sofia Luna, co-founder and President of Sophie’s, said: “The background and accomplishments of the Lambert family and their passion for Sophie’s convinced our family to make our first foray outside of New York City to the Metro DC area. We are confident that the hungry lunchtime crowds in and around the business districts in DC, MD, and VA will be delighted by James Lambert’s new Sophie’s restaurants.”
“The first Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine restaurant will open at: 1134 19th Street NW in Washington, DC 20036 in the early part of 2013. This is a strategically located site near the heart of the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District with easy access for thousands of workers. It also has the potential for strong evening sales as well as our signature free delivery and catering to a wide area of the District. We look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship with the Lambert family and with our new customers in DC.”
Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine restaurants have been delighting hungry lunchtime crowds since 1997 when the Luna family opened their first restaurant in Lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center.
Sophie’s features a unique combination of elements: tasty “comfort food” with a Cuban neighborhood feel; freshly made, healthy, hearty foods; a fast cafeteria-style line where guests see what they will be eating; and superior, speedy customer service where everyone is treated like a friend or neighbor. Take-out, catering, and delivery orders represent a large portion of overall sales.
The restaurants offer freshly made, savory, authentic Cuban specialties such as: Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef Stew), Camarón al Ajillo (Shrimps In Garlic Sauce), Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains), Papa Rellena (Mashed Potatoes Stuffed With Ground Beef Stew), Ox Tail Stew, plenty of Arroz con Frijoles (Rice and Beans), and of course, the traditional Cuban Sandwich and many more.
Luna estimates that initial development costs for a Sophie’s in New York City range from $425,000 to $ 850,000 (including the Initial Franchise Fee and excluding real property) depending on factors such as the size and shape of the space and whether it had previous restaurant use. As the economy starts to improve we will consider franchises and Multi-Unit Development Agreements for other major cities on the East Coast.
For more information, visit www.SophiesCuban.com.
