Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Stevi B's Pizza to have 50 Stores by the end of 2010



Stevi B’s expects to have about 50 stores by the end of 2010, Loney said. In addition to Gainesville, a restaurant will open near Northlake Mall in Atlanta in late October.

Much of the expansion will come outside metro Atlanta, with Florida and California key growth markets, Loney said.

Stevi B’s faces challenges. Same-store sales have dropped about 5 percent so far this year, Loney said. It’s core customers, families with incomes of $68,000 a year, have been hit by the recession, he said.

Some pizza buffet chains also have lowered prices to as low as $2.99, pulling away traffic, Loney said. Stevi B’s emphasis on quality will pay off, he said, bringing back price-sensitive customers as the economy recovers but also drawing higher-income families.

ajc story

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