Chili's, Carrabba's creators to expand fast-casual Mandola’sChili's, Carrabba's creators to expand fast-casual Mandola’s

Ron Ruggless

ARLINGTON Texas Longtime industry veteran Larry Lavine, creator of Chili’s, and Damian Mandola, who co-created Carrabba’s Italian Grill, are developing a chain of fast-casual Italian market-restaurants.

The third Mandola’s Italian Market will open Dec. 7 in southern Arlington, a Dallas suburb, as the first licensed unit of the concept that Mandola opened in 2006 in Austin, Texas. He opened a second Austin location this fall.

Lavine has partnered with Michael Share of Boston, who has been involved both the restaurant and travel industries, to form M Markets 1 LLC, the licensing company for Mandola's. 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.

“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.”

Share noted that the concept'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.

“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 set up is unusual, it creates a charming authentic Italian market experience, and also significantly adds to our check average.”

Share said Mandola's decor taps into the feel of old Eastern Italian communities. “You walk in and immediately feels like a North End Boston or a Little Italy grocery store where they also have a restaurant,” he said.

Share said he first encountered the restaurant in Austin, before he moved to Boston earlier this year.

“I was intrigued by the concept, and I kept going back,” Share said. “Every day there is a line out the door.”

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.

“[Lavine's] background and track record with multi-unit sites is a big part of the company,” Share said. “And I have experience in corporate structure and finance. My expertise and contribution is much more in running the business and finance, site locations.”

Christopher Patterson, chief operating officer of M Markets 1, has a background with such concepts as Austin Grill, Canyon Cafe, Cracker Barrel and Leann Chin Inc.

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.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].