Mandola’s brings fresh Italian to the marketMandola’s brings fresh Italian to the market

Ron Ruggless

ARLINGTON TEXAS Chili’s, and Damian Mandola, who co-created Carrabba’s Italian Grill, are turning their attention to the fast-casual segment by helping develop a chain of Italian market-restaurants. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

The third Mandola’s Italian Market opened earlier this month in southern Arlington, a Dallas suburb, as the first licensed unit of the concept that Mandola debuted in Austin, Texas, in 2006. He opened a second Austin location earlier this fall. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Lavine has partnered with Michael Share of Boston, a veteran of both the restaurant and travel industries, to form M Markets 1 LLC, the licensing company for Mandola’s. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Their first store in Arlington is about 6,000 square feet with 225 seats. The concept features a fast-casual model, in which customers order at a counter and food is delivered to their tables, Share said. The check average, including beverages, is $12 to $14 per person. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

“It’s really an approachable menu with pizzas, pastas and salads,” Share said. “And the prices are really good. It’s all fresh, and there is no freezer in the building. The price is really a big part of the success in this economy. You go and have a glass of wine and a pizza or pasta for that price.” —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Pricing plays a big part in why Lavine and Share said they were interested in the Mandola’s concept. Observers said lower prices relative to casual dining are giving the fast-casual segment legs despite the slowed economy. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

In a report earlier this year Technomic Inc., the Chicago-based research company, said, “Fast casual was once thought to have limited potential for continued growth, however, today this subsegment seems ideally positioned for the new economic and social climate. These restaurants give casual-dining consumers an opportunity to ‘trade down’ to lower-priced, yet high-quality, fresh food, and allow quick-service customers a way to ‘trade up’ to a ‘third-place’ environment that offers affordable food quickly at a cost that is usually only about $2 to $4 more than that of typical quick-service venues.” —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Share noted that Mandola’s Italian Market’s gelato stand, bakery and grocery products often inspire customers to make a second purchase after eating. The packaged-food section offers imported products, such as tomatoes, pastas, olives and olive oil, he said, and the company is starting to stock its own proprietary products. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

“The fact that we have a complete Italian bakery, gelato stand, complete deli and grocery means that many—if not most—customers buy a cookie or cake or gelato or an item from the deli or grocery on the way out the door,” he said. “This setup is unusual; it creates a charming authentic Italian-market experience and also significantly adds to our check average.” —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Share said Mandola’s decor taps into the feel of old Eastern Italian communities. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

“You walk in and it immediately feels like a North End Boston or a Little Italy grocery store, where they also have a restaurant,” Share said. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Share said he first encountered the restaurant in Austin, before he moved to Boston earlier this year. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

“I was intrigued by the concept, and I kept going back,” Share said. “Every day there is a line out the door.” —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Share contacted Lavine, the two having invested in each others’ business ventures in the past, and they approached Mandola. As part of the licensing deal they struck, Mandola retains rights for the Austin and San Antonio markets and will offer training and consulting services to Lavine and Share’s company. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

“[Lavine’s] background and track record with multiunit sites is a big part of the company,” Share said. “I have experience in corporate structure and finance. My expertise and contribution is much more in running the business.” —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Christopher Patterson, chief operating officer of M Markets 1, has worked with such concepts as Austin Grill, Canyon Cafe, Cracker Barrel and Leann Chin Inc. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

Share said his company, which is funding the first few licensed stores itself, is looking to expand to 12 stores in five years and considering sites in Dallas and Houston. He said he expects future stores to be between 5,000 and 6,000 square feet and that some may feature outdoor seating. —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of

The 1,400-plus-unit Chili’s Grill & Bar chain was founded in 1975 and is owned by Dallas-based Brinker International. Carrabba’s, which was founded in 1986 and has about 200 units, is a division of Tampa, Fla.-based OSI Restaurant Partners LLC.— [email protected] —Casual-dining veterans Larry Lavine, creator of