Tuesday, December 2, 2008

J. Christopher's has an eye on East Lake location

J. Christopher’s poised for growth beyond breakfast
Atlanta-based restaurant has formed partnership that aims to expand the franchise

By JOE GUY COLLIER
CLICK ON PICTURE.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, December 01, 2008

After studying the J. Christopher’s restaurant chain last year, Dick Holbrook and Sam Haddock came away with a simple assessment.

Holbrook and Haddock had spent more than 30 years each in the restaurant business, working with brands such as Arby’s, Popeyes, Wendy’s and Moe’s.
“The great news is that J. Christopher’s is a great place to have breakfast,” Haddock said they concluded. “The bad news is that J. Christopher’s is a great place to have breakfast.”

A year later, Holbrook and Haddock say they have J. Christopher’s poised to grow as a breakfast, brunch and lunch spot. The two restaurant veterans formed in August 2007 a partnership with Jay McCann and Chris Brogdon, the founders of the concept, to create J. Christopher’s Restaurants LLC.

The new company was established to help J. Christopher’s expand, primarily through franchised restaurants. The Atlanta-based chain had 16 locations at the time the deal was signed. It has since added locations in Vinings, Nashville, Kennesaw’s Town Center and north Roswell.

J. Christopher’s has stores planned in 2009 for Woodstock, Brookhaven, East Lake, Johns Creek and Macon. A second site in Nashville also is possible.


The economic downturn has slowed the growth in same-store sales but they’re still up from last year, McCann said. “We’re happy, in this market,” he said.

With ticket prices of about $10, J. Christopher’s is banking on customers seeing value in what their restaurants offer, McCann said. “We consider J. Christopher’s one of life’s little luxuries,” he said.

AJC

Decatur location

250 E Ponce De Leon Ave
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 378-2662

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