Any Room for an Inn?

George Babb of Springdale, who has the Arkansas franchise rights to Village Inn Restaurants, says he’s looking for a location to build a restaurant in either Springdale or Bella Vista.

Babb says he has built one restaurant a year since becoming a franchisee in 1994. He has Village Inns in Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Bentonville. His fourth Village Inn is scheduled to open May 18 in Conway. Babb says the Conway Village Inn is the first he has opened near an interstate, and the concept might work well near the U.S. Highway 71 expressway in Springdale.

Babb says he hopes to purchase the land and begin construction soon.

Babb describes the Village Inn as a “moderately priced, full-service, family restaurant specializing in breakfast and with great desserts served with lunch and dinner.”

Village Inn has 240 restaurants nationwide.

Babb says all four of his restaurants are identical – 5,800 SF with seating for 166.

Babb was named Village Inn franchisee of the year in 1998 by Vicorp Restaurants Inc. of Denver, Colo., the company that owns Village Inn.

“I researched franchises for over three years before I decided on the Village Inn,” Babb says. “This concept is designed to grow with the demographics of the country [as baby boomers age].”

Babb says Village Inn Restaurants draw customers primarily from the 35 to 70 age group.