By: Deborah Buckhalter
(Jackson County Floridan) The Huddle House restaurant chain is looking to Marianna as a potential location; the company plans to expand into this region of the South.
Huddle House is seeking out a potential franchisee and exploring possible locations here to set up shop if a suitable partner can be found.
In a press release, Huddle House Chief Development Officer Tim Linderman said the company’s expansion plan had been put on hold because of COVID-19, but that the push is back on now that most of its dining rooms have re-opened as the country lifts restrictions on in-restaurant dining.
“In 2020, we’ve fought hard to maintain our place in our communities and be a spot locals can depend on, no matter what,” Linderman said. “That commitment to the customers we serve has paid off and now we’re ready to resume our strategic growth efforts in priority markets, particularly Marianna.”
Linderman said the town is on the company radar for a couple of reasons.
“Marianna is a natural next step for Huddle House as we look to grow post-COVID in Florida,” he said in the release.
“We know the community is eager to welcome new businesses and the available real estate and local consumer base of Marianna is a perfect fit for us. What we’ve done extremely well is maintain our neighborhood, hometown vibe while also adapting to the needs of our communities during this challenging time.
“Most importantly, as Florida has eased restrictions, we have been able to safely and quickly reopen dining rooms to better serve our customers,” Linderman continued.
“The pandemic showed our ability to adapt, with restaurants selling groceries and essential items and pivoting to takeout and delivery. With most of our dining rooms now reopened under heightened health and safety guidelines, we feel now is the time to bring Huddle House to Marianna with the right local entrepreneur as a partner.”
According to the chain’s franchise information page, its flexible format of investment opportunities makes for a wide-ranging estimate of start-up costs, from $519,935 to $1,338,075. More information on the Huddle House franchise opportunity is available at huddlehousefranchising.com or by calling 800-640-7125.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Huddle House has more than 400 locations open or in development.
Source: Jackson County Floridan: view the full article here
