Franchise Industry News & Announcements

Built-To-Order Assembly Line Pizza Chain Adds Elite Franchise Groups to its Growing Developer Network
June 17, 2013 // Franchising.com // – Pasadena, Calif. – Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, the leader in the fast-casual build-your-own pizza category, today announced that two elite-level multi-unit franchise groups have signed agreements to develop eight stores in Detroit & Grand Rapids, MI, seven stores in Columbus, OH, six stores in Indianapolis and 10 stores in the East Bay & South Bay regions of Northern California. These most recent franchise agreements further expand Blaze Pizza’s growing national footprint which includes the West Coast (California), the Northeast (New York, New Jersey & Connecticut), the Midwest (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin & Ohio) and the Southeast (Florida)...

Limited Time Only Incentives and New Store Design to Drive Brand's Growth Across U.S.
June 17, 2013 // Franchising.com // CANTON, Mass. - Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, announced today the introduction of unprecedented development incentives in 2013 for new franchisees and military veterans. These limited time only incentives, some of the steepest the brand has ever offered, are part of Baskin-Robbins' growth plans to attract new franchisees and develop with current franchisees through remodels, relocations and expansion.
"Baskin-Robbins has been building a very solid foundation over the last several years with new product innovation and a strategic vision for the future," said Bill Mitchell, president of Baskin-Robbins, U...

The UPS Store ® releases Small Business Week survey results; Announces national launch with SCORE
SAN DIEGO - June 17, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - When it comes to small business, Americans’ aspirations couldn’t be bigger. According to survey results released today by The UPS Store ®, 48 percent of Americans dream of starting a business, while 71 percent of small business owners say they would start their business all over again today.
Despite the interest in being your own boss, starting a small business requires more than simply hanging an ‘Open’ sign in the window. Just over half of small business owners (51%) spent more than two years dreaming about their future company before taking the leap of faith, and nearly one third (31%) spent more than five years planning, according to the findings...

New Restaurant Serves Up Dairy Queen® Iconic Soft-Serve Treats, Flavorful Foods And Orange Julius® Offerings
June 17, 2013 // Franchising.com // WINDSOR, Conn. – The Dairy Queen® system’s newest, most exciting restaurant concept has opened its doors at 845 Sullivan Ave. in South Windsor, a mile and a half from U.S. Route 5 and next to South Windsor Mini-Golf sports complex. The new 2,630 square-foot DQ Grill & Chill® restaurant has added 45 new jobs, contributing to South Windsor’s employment growth. The new restaurant also will contribute to the state’s restaurant sales, which according to the National Restaurant Association are projected to increase by 3 percent this year.
“We are excited to open our first DQ Grill & Chill restaurant in South Windsor and welcome the community in to enjoy our full menu of cravable food items, cool treats and Orange Julius® Premium Fruit Smoothies, Light Smoothies and Julius® Original drinks,” said restaurant operator Gary Somerset, who has operated a DQ® restaurant in Kensington for nearly 40 years...

Top 60 Hooters Girl contestants and celebrity judges to descend on Las Vegas; fans will decide who wins all-new Miss Hooters Social title.
ATLANTA - June 17, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Hooters of America, LLC, today announced it will host the 30th Anniversary Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant in Las Vegas on June 27, where the brightest and most beautiful Hooters Girls from around the world will have a chance to win cash and prizes and represent Hooters as Miss Hooters International 2013.
This year, Hooters added an all-new title to the competition: Miss Hooters Social. The contestant with the most social media activity leading up to the pageant will win $2,000 and automatically be entered into the finals alongside the top 10 winners...

MILFORD, Conn. - June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - This June, SUBWAY® restaurants, the world's largest restaurant chain, and The Walt Disney Company will celebrate one year of working together with the announcement of two additional movie integrations: Disney-Pixar's "Monsters University" and Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films' "The Lone Ranger." In 2012, SUBWAY® restaurants and Disney collaborated on films including Disney-Pixar's "Brave," Disney's "Frankenweenie" and Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Wreck-It Ralph," recently winning the award for "Best Promotional Campaign" around these movies at the 2013 Cynopsis Kids Imagination Awards.
This summer, SUBWAY®, "The Official Training Restaurant for Monsters Everywhere," is working with Disney•Pixar for the much anticipated release of "Monsters University"on June 21...

Local Franchisee Targeting Expansion in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Fairfield Counties 
BETHESDA, Md. - June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Bach to Rock (B2R), America's Music School for students of all ages, announced today that its first franchise school in Port Washington, N.Y. has been a hit in the local community as more than 250 children and adults have signed up for lessons since it opened in January 2013. Franchisee Amplified Capital Partners, LLC (ACP) plans to open several additional locations in New York and Connecticut over the next three years, targeting Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Fairfield counties.
"Our first Bach to Rock school in Port Washington has experienced phenomenal success, exceeding our expectations...

Available for $11.99, New Firebaked Style Flatbread Pizzas are Light on Crust, Full on Flavor
PLANO, Texas - June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Thin crust. Check. Pan crust. Double check. Stuffed crust. Triple check. Pizza Hut has a legacy of bringing new crust types to consumers all around the world.
Now, the world's biggest pizza chain has done it again with the rollout of Firebaked Style Flatbread Pizzas. Flatbreads, available in the U.S. only, include a slightly crispy "wood-fired style" crust, high-quality cheese and toppings that extend right to the edges. The Flatbreads come six to a box, and can be topped three different ways with up to three toppings each – all for $11.99.
"We wanted to give our fans a lighter crust experience that doesn't skimp on flavor and believe we've delivered that with our Firebaked Style Flatbread Pizzas," said Kurt Kane, Chief Marketing Officer at Pizza Hut...

June 17, 2013 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that one of its largest franchise territories has come up for sale for the first time in seven years. The region called ‘Exeter and Dorchester’ extends from Hartland to Minehead in Somerset, through North Devon right through to the East side of Dorset. It is anticipated the area will be divided into two and sold as two separate franchise businesses.
“These franchise sales represent opportunities to acquire established businesses based on Card Connection’s highly regarded franchise model,” confirms Michael Johnson, managing director of Card Connection. “The region has been well managed by the outgoing franchisee and is for sale with the goodwill of an existing retail client base...

Aloft Tulsa Downtown Transformed Former City Hall as Part of a Downtown Revitalization Project
STAMFORD, Conn. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Jun. 17, 2013 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) today announced that its 'Different by Design' Aloft brand has doubled its presence in Tulsa, Oklahoma with the opening of Aloft Tulsa Downtown. The opening also marks the successful completion of the Aloft brand's second adaptive re-use project. The former City Hall was transformed into Aloft Tulsa Downtown by owner and developer TOCH, LLC. Managed by Presidian Hotels & Resorts, Aloft Tulsa Downtown caters to the next generation of travelers with 180 spacious, loft-like rooms, leading-edge technology and a buzzing, social atmosphere...

Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 17, 2013 - MilitaryOneClick and La Quinta Inns & Suites are teaming up to spread the news about a brand new rewards program for military families nationwide. La Quinta Returns Military Rewards™ is a rewards program designed for members of our military, veterans and their families.
MilitaryOneClick is hosting a fun trivia contest at http://www.militaryoneclick.com from Monday, June 17th through Friday June, 21, 2013 for a chance to win a free night stay at one of La Quinta Inns and Suites nationwide locations.
In appreciation of the service of our military, veterans and their families, La Quinta Inns & Suites offer a 12-percent discount off the Best Available Rate at the more than 800 La Quinta Inns & Suites locations across the country...

LAKE MARY, Fla. (PRWEB) June 17, 2013 - Brightway Insurance, a leading national independent insurance retailer, recently opened its newest franchise store in Lake Mary, Fla.
The company has more than 100 stores nationwide, including Stacie Caldwell’s franchise store at 3005 West Lake Mary Blvd, Ste 111, Lake Mary. She has nine years of insurance experience with Caldwell & Associates, an Allstate Insurance agency.
Caldwell named Joshua Amos, a Longwood, Fla. native, as the agency’s principal. He also previously worked at Caldwell & Associates for 12 years. Amos is an accomplished insurance industry professional and an active member of the Seminole County Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“Brightway’s innovative business model allows us to provide exceptional products at competitive prices,” said Caldwell...

Boys and Girls Club of Broward County Receives a Facility Makeover
Orange, CA (PRWEB) June 17, 2013 - Budget Blinds – the leading window coverings franchise in the nation – recently partnered with the popular home improvement show Designing Spaces™ to help renovate the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, FL. The show travels all over the country redefining and redesigning spaces by incorporating decorating trends, do-it-yourself projects, and step by step home improvements. The Designing Spaces episode featuring Budget Blinds will air on Lifetime television on Wednesday, June 19th at 7:30am EST/PST.
Every day, over 200 underprivileged kids gather at the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County to seek guidance and support from caring community role models...

Small business credit health has improved over the first five months of 2013, according to small business lender Direct Capital.
Portsmouth, NH (PRWEB) June 17, 2013 - The credit health of U.S. small businesses has improved thus far in 2013, according Direct Capital, a leading provider of working capital loans, equipment financing and franchise financing.
Direct Capital’s internal data shows that the average credit score for small businesses rose over 2012 from January to May 2013. That matches a recent report from credit monitoring giant Experian, which shows that the average credit score rose 4.5% from January to March of 2013 over the first quarter of 2012.
The rise in credit scores corresponds with increases in small business lending demand, small business financing approvals and consumer confidence in 2013...

Panel Participants Comprised of Seattle-area Business Experts
Bellevue, Wash. (PRWEB) June 15, 2013 - David Nilssen, co-founder and CEO of Guidant Financial, will serve on the ‘Entrepreneurial Ecosystem’ panel at the U.S. Small Business Association’s (SBA) annual ‘National Small Business Week’ event this Monday, June 17. The panel, which takes place from 10:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PDT at Microsoft’s Redmond campus, is comprised of Seattle-area business experts who will discuss the local entrepreneurial climate and share best practices for starting and building a business.
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the SBA’s National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners...

SONIC franchise team to participate in International Franchise Expo June 20-22 in New York
International Franchise Expo
OKLAHOMA CITY - June 17, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Once the best-kept secret of super-fans in the South and Central Plains, SONIC Drive-In (NASDAQ: SONC) now delights guests in 43 states and is quickly expanding in the Northeast United States to meet demand. Today, Sonic Corp. announced it has reached an agreement for franchise development of five new drive-ins in the Rochester, NY market over the next four years.
With five existing drive-ins located in New York, the new agreement means the SONIC presence is set to double in the Empire State, and the company has plans for additional expansion.
“In certain parts of the country – particularly the South and Central Plains – SONIC has long had a passionate and loyal following, and now, the secret is clearly out,” said Bob Franke, senior vice president of franchise sales and international development for Sonic Corp...

Supports “Any and All Efforts” to Keep Bowl in Hometown
June 6, 2013 - DETROIT - While Little Caesars Pizza may be in the final year as title sponsor of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in 2013, the organization would still like to see a Division 1 college bowl game remain in Detroit—the home of Little Caesars—regardless of whether or not it retains the bowl’s title sponsorship.
“Little Caesars Pizza saved this national college bowl game almost five years ago when the economy was truly suffering in southeast Michigan,” said Little Caesars Pizza Bowl CEO Emeritus George Perles. “We were proud to have them join us as our title sponsor right when we needed them most.”
“We’re pleased to have stepped in to sponsor this bowl game in our hometown at a critical time,” said Stuart deGeus, vice president of field marketing for Little Caesars and a member of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl advisory and marketing committee...

June 14, 2013 - New Haven - Wiggin and Dana is pleased to announce the arrival of the 2013 Summer Associate class. The group is comprised of five second year and two first year law students. The firm is especially delighted to host a United Technologies Corporation/Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity Scholar in addition to our Yale New Haven Health System/ Wiggin and Dana Diversity Scholar. Along with the traditional summer associate assignments, the Wiggin and Dana class had the opportunity to participate in the firm Mock Trial which took place on Sunday, June 2 at Yale Law School.
Diane Cooper attends Quinnipiac University School of Law and earned her B.S. in Biotechnology from Ferris State University.
Kush Das attends Georgetown University Law Center and earned his B...

Local artists to create and sell "upcycled" artwork made from old Domino's logo materials.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - With its new look beginning to establish itself within stores, advertising and uniforms, Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, today launches a unique program to save its old logo materials from landfills – and instead, put them in the hands of selected artists around the country.
The Second Hand Logos program debuts today on the Domino's Pinterest page, delivering the dream to several local artists of having their unique work on display to a nationwide audience – not to mention, potentially intriguing interested buyers.
Ten artists have taken on specific projects utilizing old Domino's logo belongings – from signage and clothing to store materials...

With locations throughout Canada, Five Star looks to expand Bath Solutions to the United States.
Spanish Fork, UT - June 15, 2013 - (PR.com) - Five Star Franchising recently announced the acquisition of Bath Solutions Dealership Corporation Inc., a fully operational network of franchises providing bathroom renovations and installments. With over 25 locations throughout Canada and two locations in the United Kingdom, Five Star Franchising will look to expand the “Bathroom Renovation Specialists” to the United States.
Established in 1996, Bath Solutions specializes in a variety of bathroom renovation services ranging from bathtub re-glazing to new bathtub installation and tub to shower conversions. With locations throughout many major cities in Canada, Bath Solutions and Five Star Franchising will further its outreach in providing reliable and professional bathroom renovation services to multiple territories...