Corner Bakery Cafe is set to make a big impact in the Cleveland market. The restaurant chain — one firmly in the hot fast-casual market — in the second quarter closed a 13-location deal for the Cleveland market. This marks Corner Bakery Cafe’s first area development agreement in Ohio.
Don’t expect the restaurant chain to slow down, either. The company says that it plans to double its footprint during the next two years.
There are already more than 185 company-owned and franchise Corner Bakery Cafes open. The company also boasts franchise agreements representing commitments for 390 more units.
Gregg Koffler, vice president of franchise sales for Corner Bakery Cafe, said that the time was right for the company to make a splash in the Cleveland market.
“A stable economy and a community that enjoys food combine to make northeast Ohio the perfect place for us to enter the market,” said Koffler, in a written statement. “Our future in Ohio looks very bright.”
Northeast Ohio native Scott Berkowitz is leading Corner Bakery Cafe’s 35th franchise group. Other key players in this group include Brad Kowit and Steve Overholt. All three have experience in the northeast Ohio commercial real estate market.
Kowit brings experience is in retail brokerage and development, while Overholt has experience with restaurants and national brands. Berkowitz has consulting and real estate experience.
Berkowitz said that he chose Corner Bakery because of its aggressive plans to expand. He spent plenty of time, too, visiting the chain’s locations in Chicago, he said, and said that the cafe’s menu is a strong one.
“It’s no surprise to me and my partners that Corner Bakery Cafe is leading the charge for the fast-casual segment of the industry,” he said in a written statement.
