No Butcher, No Baker And Definitely No Candlestick Maker

DALLAS (Tuesday, November 01, 2005) - "There are no chefs, not even a kitchen supervisor," announces Ken Reimer of the quick-casual concept he began designing in 1999 and opened last year in Dallas. So far his company, BB Franchising, operates four units and franchises two Baker Bros American Delis, one in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"There are also no hosts and no servers,” the founder continues. “I designed Baker Bros strictly for franchising. It’s not as complicated as other quick-casual concepts.”

The restaurants specialize in gourmet sandwiches, salads, and pizzas. Proprietary breads-wheat, egg, rye and foccacia-are made in local bakeries and delivered daily. Checks average $8, Reimer says, though most items are less than $6. Sales average $20,000 a week at company stores. Investment cost is roughly $400,000 for the 3,400-square-foot space, typically an end-cap.

Reimer, former CEO of Tony Roma’s and Furr’s Cafeterias, got interested in quick-casual restaurants after venture capitalists asked him to look for a restaurant chain to turn around. What he ended up with was a startup. “One thing led to another,” he says, “and I decided there was a hole I could fill: high-quality, mainstream salads and sandwiches.”

The upscale restaurants, which seat 140, feature solid wood tables, murals and jazz music. Besides the items mentioned, the kitchens also produce baked potatoes and soup.

Now chairman, Reimer appointed veteran operator Tom Dahl as president and launched a franchising program this year. Franchise fees are $30,000*, and Reimer expects to have deals signed for 20 to 30 franchise restaurants by the end of next year. The company may open two units in the Midwest, financed coincidentally by Baker Bros’ Malaysian franchisee. “They’re also investors in the company as well as friends,” Reimer adds.

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