Former CEO To Open 15 Potbelly Shops

Bryant Keil, former Potbelly CEO, and his son, Hampden Keil, recently opened a Potbelly shop in Frederick, Maryland. This is the first of 15 new locations for the pair.

Set amid a busy collection of popular shopping and dining destinations and adjacent to Liberty Road, the shop is an ideal spot for Potbelly to serve local residents, visitors, and the workforce.

"This is the perfect spot for Potbelly, and we couldn't be more proud about opening at Market Square. Potbelly carries immense pride for me and my family, and we're certain this shop will be a home away from home for the community," said Keil, who owns and operates this shop with his son Hampden as well as 12 others in Maryland with many to come in the years ahead. "As someone who has championed the brand for decades, stepping into this new chapter alongside my son has been an incredible experience on so many levels.  We can't wait to bring the Potbelly experience to new communities while continuing to invest in a brand we believe in deeply."

This Frederick opening is part of a multi-unit development agreement Potbelly inked with The Keil Group. Bryant and Hampden together plan to open and operate more than 23 Potbelly shops across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, expanding into counties such as Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Prince George's, Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's in Maryland, and Leesburg, Falls Church, and Arlington in Virginia.

Their agreement with Potbelly also included acquiring 12 existing Maryland Potbelly shops, which the duo currently operates throughout the state. Bryant initially created Potbelly in 1996, when it was a single antique shop serving sandwiches to its customers in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. As CEO, he developed the brand's celebrated sandwich menu and successfully expanded the company to 250 locations by 2008.