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Posted on Mon, Nov. 28, 2005
By DANIEL C. BARTEL
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM
FORT WORTH -- North Texans love their sandwiches, and the newest player
on the scene is Potbelly Sandwich Works, a Chicago-based sandwich chain
known for its homemade-style sandwiches and desserts.
In the past 17 months, Potbelly has opened 10 storefronts in Fort Worth
and Dallas, most recently in south Fort Worth. That makes North Texas
the company's third-largest market after Chicago and Washington, D.C.,
company officials said.
Since 1977, Potbelly has gained a foothold mainly among Midwesterners
with its milkshakes and its service. The company has gone national in
only the past few years. It now operates 99 stores mostly in Illinois,
Michigan, Ohio and Washington, D.C., with plans to open soon in Denver.
Owners declined to elaborate on further expansion plans in the Metroplex,
preferring to wait and see how the existing locations fare, said David
Selby, Potbelly's vice president of marketing.
Of course, the North Texas market is a good testing ground. The Metroplex
has among the most restaurants per capita of any major U.S. metro area,
and experts say it is ideal for gauging audience reception.
"Certainly, the ability to succeed in D-FW says something strong
about your concept," Selby said.
With competition high, concept is crucial, Selby said. Potbelly's overall
look is inspired by the urban downstairs pub; giant air vent tubes clutch
a ceiling of elaborate tiles, and black-and-white stills of old Chicago
hang from wood-paneled walls.
An antique, cast-iron potbelly stove greets patrons as they enter. Such
stoves, used to heat homes and businesses in late 1800s, have become
an emblem of family and togetherness, Selby said.
The menu offers meat and vegetable sandwiches on baked Italian rolls
along with pizza, soups, homemade desserts and yogurt smoothies.
"To thrive in this competitive arena, we have to be very focused
on providing a superior product and customer service," Selby said.
With competitors such as Blimpie, Quiznos and Subway, the barrier for
sandwich chains seems high. Not true, says Jay Goldstein, restaurant
consultant and president of Advanced Restaurant Consulting in Dallas.
Potbelly falls into the restaurant subgenre known as "fast causal," offering
fast, made-to-order service in a sit-down environment with upscale or
themed decor. Other fast-casual eateries include are Chipotle, Pei Wei
and Baja Fresh.
Fast casual is gaining ground as a growing base of customers want healthy
food made quickly and inexpensively priced. It's a sharp turn from quick-service
restaurants, such as Burger King or McDonald's, which generally pack
more salt, sugar and fat.
Still, some quick-service restaurants are going upscale themselves. McDonald's
now offers "premium" chicken sandwiches made from finer ingredients,
and Jack in the Box has rolled out a sandwich made with Italian ciabatta.
Goldstein said that further proves that the fast-causal concept is a
legitimate player with staying power.
"What's happened is that restaurant owners have taken the curbside,
get-it-and-go method of a shop in an urban city, say, like New York City
and transported it to the suburban lifestyle," he said.
Despite its growth, he said, fast casual will not replace full-service
casual such as Chili's, Pappasitos or T.G.I.F.
Potbelly officials declined to share revenue or growth projections. But
one need only look at the company's publicly traded sandwich peers to
view growth potential.
Profits for Panera Bread Co., (ticker: PNRA) based in Richmond Heights,
Mo., shot up after the company's move in 2004 to build and open more
shops. Gross revenue this year is expected to exceed the $123 million
posted in 2004, according to Thomson Financial. Panera's stock has risen
in 2005, hovering around $70 last week and up from $40 at this time last
year.
Also growth-minded is Cosci Inc., known for its fast-casual breakfast
and lunch fare in several Northern states. The Deerfield, Ill., company
announced its intention to add 90 restaurants, boosting its locations
to 485, by 2009, according to Thomson Financial.
What does this mean for the mom-and-pop sandwich shops?
Damon Carney, co-owner of the Tin Cup in Arlington, said he's not worried.
His shop specializes in soup and sandwiches and draws a sizable lunch
crowd. The Tin Cup lures new patrons by word of mouth, usually curious
folks looking to try out the signature blueberry tea or potato sticks.
"We learn our customers' names and try to remember them," Carney
said.
Maintaining a first-name basis with customers, along with an interesting
and tasty menu, is a chief way the small independents will survive, he
said.
ONLINE: www.potbelly.com
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