Freshii signs 80-unit franchise deal for ChicagoFreshii signs 80-unit franchise deal for Chicago

Dina Berta

CHICAGO Restaurant and retail veteran David Grossman has signed a master franchise deal to open 80 Freshii locations over the next 10 years in the Chicago area, the 14-unit fast-casual chain said Wednesday.

Freshii, which was founded in Toronto in 2005, offers a menu of build-your-own soups, salads, wraps and rice bowls. The company said Grossman is scheduled to open his first restaurant in June in the Water Tower Place shopping center on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. A second location will be in a new retail development that is scheduled to open in September at 108 North State Street in the Loop community area of downtown Chicago.

Grossman said he hopes to open four corporate stores in 2009 and five more in 2010. He then plans to franchise locations to others.

Grossman had opened more than 100 Subway restaurants before spending the past 12 years with mall owner and developer General Growth Properties, leasing spaces to hundreds of different restaurants such as Mrs. Fields Cookies, Wetzel’s Pretzels, McDonald’s, the Corner Bakery, Panera Bread, Olive Garden and the Cheesecake Factory.

Contact Dina Berta at [email protected].