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While dessert concepts are popping up everywhere, there aren’t too many pie franchises around. Laurie’s Pie Bar, named after founder Laurie Grey, has been a Long Beach mainstay for eight years –serving pie slices, mini pies in mason jars, pie shots, and even pet-friendly pies for dogs.
Now, the company is looking to spread its wings by announcing franchising. Since the April announcement, Laurie’s has received interest from potential candidates in the Southern California area, as well as Las Vegas, Austin, and Dallas. Moving forward, Laurie’s Pie Bar is interested in expanding in the Southwestern quadrant of the United States and wants to open two to four stores this year, with a long-term goal of 20 locations by year five.
“Sweet treats make up a $16.8 billion industry: In a world full of cookies and cupcakes and donuts and ice cream, we have something unique to bring to the premium dessert market,” Grey said. “Pie is the ultimate comfort food and is tied to so many good memories of family times and most people don’t have the skills or the time to make a great pie from scratch.”
Laurie’s Pie Bar is looking to franchise in locations with 1,000 -1,500 square feet, and the average check size is $25.
The Sports Bra is bringing a new twist to a familiar foodservice concept: the sports bar. As the name implies, The Sports Bra is a place dedicated to supporting women’s sports and airing them on TVs throughout the bar.
Two years after opening in Portland and gaining traction with women’s sports fans, owner and athlete Jenny Nguyen wants to bring the concept to new cities and locales. The Sports Bra announced franchising in April in partnership with iFranchise, and although ownership has not yet signed any franchisees, they’re hoping to have two or three signed by the end of the year.
The goal is to have a dozen locations open over the next three years, and in the long-term, possibly bring the concept international and have 35 locations total, “ideally located in cities that have shown a deep passion for women’s sports.”
Rosso Pomodoro — Italy’s largest pizza franchise with 140 locations globally — is bringing its Neapolitan success stateside with the announcement of franchising in the U.S. The pizza chain is already located in the U.S. in partnership with Eataly, though this franchising announcement would allow for the opportunity to spread the fast-casual pizzeria to standalone locations.
“It has long been a dream to introduce our brand of authentic Neapolitan style pizza to every corner of America,” Nicola Saraceno, CEO of Rosso Pomodoro, said in a statement. “Neapolitan pizza is an artform, and we take pride in preserving this centuries old legacy and heritage…. Rosso Pomodoro guests will enjoy a truly authentic experience through the exploration of culture, vibrant colors, and diverse flavor profiles inspired by Italy’s most beloved regions.”
The first two Rosso Pomodoro franchises will be in Denver, and within five years, the brand hopes to have 30 franchised locations opened in the U.S., with an eye toward markets including North Carolina, Ohio, Arizona, and Oregon.
The average location size is 1,300 and up to 2,800 square feet, and the average check is $30.
You may have heard of dog-themed restaurants, but what about a canine-friendly bar? Pups Pub was founded in 2020 as a full-liquor sports bar and off-leash dog park, located in Tampa, with a second location in Orlando. Pups Pub has a monthly membership model and also offers special event “pawties.”
“Pups Pub is the first dog bar concept that people enjoy visiting even without their dog!” a representative for Pups Pub said. “Most dog bars are more dog park first and offer little to no entertainment for the dog owners. Pups Pub offers a full liquor sports bar featuring games like pool and pop-a-shot basketball.”
Owners Alex Wright and Sheila Suhar announced franchising at the end of March in partnership with Franchise Well, with plans to expand nationally, focusing at first on the Southeast market from Texas to Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Pups Pub has signed its first franchisee in Chattanooga, Tenn.: a U.S. veteran who was attracted to the owners’ 50% franchisee fee discount for military veterans.
The concept hopes to sign 10 franchisees by the end of the year, with a long-term goal of 50 locations by the end of the fifth year. Franchisees will need to secure spaces that are between 10-15,000 square feet.
The third bar concept to announce franchising this quarter is Tapster: the self-service bar that uses RFID tap cards with pour-it-yourself technology that ties together the bar’s keg system, taps, digital menus, and point of sale in one operations model.
Tapster currently has five tasting rooms located in Seattle, Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia. The company officially announced franchising in May in partnership with Community Franchise Group, though already has its first franchised location in Cleveland.
Post-announcement, Tapster’s first franchisee is a husband-and-wife team in Lexington, Ky. The mid-term goal is to get to a base of 10-20 franchisees, located in the markets where the brand is already located, but founder/CEO Roman Maliszewski is open to exploring other mid- to large-sized cities with a “thriving downtown area and a great social culture.”
So, why self-service beer?
“It’s simple: freedom,” Maliszewski said. “When you’re at Tapster, you’re on your time. You’re not waiting to get a drink, you’re not waiting to check out and you can sample a variety of beverages or pour your favorite beer. It’s instant gratification at its finest.”
For future franchisees, the average Tapster is 2,200-3,400 square feet, but can go larger to accommodate places with patios. The average check is $22.
