CALABASAS HILLS Calif. Howard Gordon, senior vice president of business development and marketing for The Cheesecake Factory Inc., is leaving the company this year to launch his own firm, the Gordon Group, specializing in brand consulting and marketing. Gordon said he would remain with Cheesecake Factory through its imminent debut of a new restaurant concept called Rock Sugar Pan Asian Kitchen, in the Century City district of Los Angeles, and would be doing some work for the Calabasas Hills, Calif.-based company thereafter.
Gordon joined Cheesecake Factory in 1997 after seven years as a partner in Paradise Tropical Tea Co. He also has been a partner in a live-music venue in West Hollywood, Calif., called the Key Club.
The Gordon Group startup is expected to benefit from Gordon's reputation for helping build the prominence of the Cheesecake Factory brand without advertising, which the chain has eschewed since its founding 30 years ago in Beverly Hills, Calif. During his tenure, the restaurant operator, pastry manufacturer and wholesaler launched a second chain, Grand Lux Cafe, and reached such milestones as passing the $1 billion annual sales mark with fewer than 100 restaurants.
The company currently operates 141 restaurants, including the namesake chain and 13 Grand Lux Cafes. The Cheesecake Factory brand last year scored average-unit sales of $10.4 million, while Grand Lux units average $12.7 million.