Michigan Feature Articles
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Michigan Feature Articles

Informative articles to support business buyers, franchisees, and franchisors in Michigan.

Multi-unit, multi-brand operators continue expanding each year--a trend that continues to accelerate as these "Dominators" grow their portfolios through acquisitions, building new units, refranchising, and scooping up successful units from retiring franchisees.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 3,267 Reads
The new presidential administration wasted no time jumping in, even before Inauguration Day. A steady stream of potential cabinet appointees was ushered in and out of Trump Tower in New York City, accompanied by the most intense media scrutiny we can recall for an incoming administration in recent memory.
  • Carol Schleif
  • 5,983 Reads 3 Shares
Buffalo Wild Wings' largest franchisee opens newest location in Florida and now operates 65 restaurants across five states.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 3,269 Reads 35 Shares
GPS Hospitality To Acquire 11 More Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Restaurants in Georgia. The Burger King and Popeyes Franchisee Is Nearing 400 Locations.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 5,777 Reads 463 Shares
Bob Middleton heard or read something years ago that stuck with him: Wealth is built by focusing on one thing and doing it well; wealth is preserved by diversifying.
  • Debbie Selinsky
  • 11,520 Reads 26 Shares
Husband and wife area developers for Tropical Smoothie Café in Michigan and Ohio are now on the grow in Colorado. They already have 58 locations in their markets and 39 more cafes in development.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 31,135 Reads 7 Shares
Multi-unit, multi-brand franchisee Tom Garrett makes major move taking on another 194 Burger King locations. His GPS Hospitality company now oversees 431 Burger King and Popeyes franchises in 14 states.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 27,325 Reads 2 Shares
Robert Schermer, Jr., CEO of Meritage Hospitality Group in Grand Rapids, Mich., hails from the school of life that says, "Go big or go home."
  • Debbie Selinsky
  • 28,161 Reads 1,021 Shares
Minimum wage increases will be ringing in the New Year in states across the country. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) continues to push for greater increases in minimum wage. Wage increases will not only affect employees but also business owners and consumers.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 18,637 Reads
What do two attorneys, a former Applebee's CEO, and a retired NFL quarterback have in common? They're four of the six multi-unit franchisees we've profiled in this issue.
  • Kerry Pipes & Eddy Goldberg
  • 32,777 Reads 1 Shares
Multi-unit, multi-brand operators continue growing larger each year--a trend that continues to accelerate as these Dominators expand their portfolios through acquisitions, new units, refranchising offers, and scooping up successful units from retirees
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 2,867 Reads 1,023 Shares
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Robert Schermer, Jr., left his career in corporate finance 18 years ago to join Meritage Hospitality Group in Grand Rapids, Mich. In 1998, the company operated 22 Wendy's restaurants in Michigan; today it operates 177 in 8 states and also has four original casual dining concepts.
  • 23,860 Reads 11 Shares
Tshimanga "Tim" Biakabutuka, born in Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire in 1974, came to the U.S. with his family when he was just 6 years old. The family settled in Canada, in the Montreal area.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 21,497 Reads 22 Shares
In some ways, brothers Jesse and Charles Keyser, 39 and 35, are very different, and that's good. So are their three brands--Little Caesars, Sport Clips, and Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning--which also is good.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 16,595 Reads 4 Shares
When we last profiled Jerry Heath in 2010, the Michigan native was busy operating 11 Hungry Howie's pizza restaurants and had recently become involved with Jimmy John's, opening 5 units.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 10,788 Reads
Largest Buffalo Wild Wings Franchisee Opens 63rd location in Bradenton, Florida.
  • 18,674 Reads
Fast-Growing GPS Hospitality Adds Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen To Its Franchise Portfolio Expanding Presence In Georgia and West Virginia.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 10,320 Reads
Ross Harried has found that a "small" strategy can serve up big business success. His Maui Wowi Ka'anapali Carts (Tiki huts on wheels) are 8 feet wide, 3 feet deep, 8 feet high and can squeeze in most anywhere...
  • Helen Bond
  • 9,269 Reads 8 Shares
Mike Pietrzyk has always loved contributing to charitable causes. So it wasn't surprising that a decade ago the Firehouse Subs area representative came up with the idea of selling his restaurants' empty 5-gallon pickle buckets, rather than tossing them out.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 6,826 Reads
So many good things are happening in franchising these days, it's hard to keep up (even for us!). So welcome to "Good News" - our monthly roundup of franchise growth, finance, international expansion, milestones, and other positive news from franchisors large, medium, and emerging.
  • Eddy Goldberg
  • 8,400 Reads
Tom Garrett breaks down his 30 years with Arby's--first as an assistant manager, then as the brand's largest franchisee, and finally as CEO of the franchisor--this way: "I like to say that 25 of those years were great, 3 were mediocre, and 2 were miserable--in that order."
  • Debbie Selinsky
  • 11,664 Reads 3 Shares
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After Being Arby's largest franchisee - then its CEO - Tom Garrett Is Back In The Franchisee World Again As A Burger King Franchisee Nearing 200 Units.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 15,399 Reads 3 Shares
Famous Dave's Announces Refranchising Deal for 7 Locations in Chicago Area Market.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 6,345 Reads 1,014 Shares
After working her way through college waiting tables, Tracy Balen told her mother at her graduation from Ohio State University, "I'll never work in another restaurant!"
  • Debbie Selinsky
  • 8,237 Reads 1,023 Shares
So many good things are happening in franchising these days, it's hard to keep up! So welcome back to "Good News" - our monthly roundup of franchise growth, finance, emerging concepts, and other positive news from franchisors large, medium, and small.
  • Eddy Goldberg
  • 6,986 Reads 7 Shares
When it comes to operating multiple brands, Craig Comer has discovered that differences can attract--profits, that is, for his two very different service brands.
  • Helen Bond
  • 10,769 Reads 1 Shares
Doing good is a longtime pursuit in America. You might even say it's a part of the culture. Americans love a good cause and like to help when they can.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 7,252 Reads 14 Shares
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation on "Understanding Customer Loyalty and Designing Effective Reward Programs," by Clay Voorhees, assistant professor of marketing at Michigan State University.
  • Plante Moran
  • 3,959 Reads 82 Shares
Joe Weiss is another one of those successful people who got started in the corporate world and did well. But there was something different he was seeking.
  • Multi-Unit Franchisee
  • 7,358 Reads
We live in a world where law firms commonly have billable hourly quotas that their attorneys must meet, and substantial hourly rates as well.
  • Carl Khalil and Sada Sheldon
  • 6,418 Reads

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