Shake’s Plans Prototype Store, New HQ

Shake’s Frozen Custard plans to spend about $825,000 to build a 1,200-SF new restaurant and 6,000-SF operations center at 2785 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville.

The operations center will serve as corporate headquarters and as a training center for employees. The company’s main office is currently in Fayetteville’s Three Sisters building on Dickson Street.

The College Avenue site was previously home to Randy’s Auto Service, a gas station that was razed in mid-February to make room for the new construction. Shake’s purchased two properties totaling 1.5 acres at the site for about $275,000, said Corey Osborne, CEO of Shake’s.

An 850-SF Shake’s store next door at 2835 N. College Ave. will be torn down after the new building is completed. The current Shake’s is in a building that was originally constructed as a Rally’s hamburger store.

The new store will feature two drive-through lanes and two walk-up windows in addition to a patio area for outside dining.

“This is the prototype for all the stores we’re going to build around the nation,” Osborne said.

The company has similar stores in Houston; San Antonio; Mobile, Ala.; and St. Louis, but the new store will be different primarily inside.

“Each and every time we build, we want to improve efficiencies and improve aesthetics,” Osborne said.

Osborne said he plans to trademark the new building design. The operations center will be equipped with a test kitchen for experimenting with new products to add to Shake’s existing line of homemade ice cream.

Shake’s currently has 35 franchise locations and two company-owned stores open. Ten franchise units are under construction and another 51 are under development, for a grand total of 98.

“Our five-year vision of the company includes a growth strategy that will see Shake’s Frozen Custard operating 600 profitable units by the end of 2007,” Osborne said. “It’s ambitious, but it can be accomplished.”

Shake’s has stores in eight states: Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. The Arkansas locations include Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, Russellville, Conway, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Benton, Hot Springs and Jonesboro. A Shake’s is also under construction in Fort Smith.

Shake’s was recently chosen by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the nation’s top 500 franchises. The magazine also put Shake’s on its list of top 50 new franchises, which includes franchise businesses that began in 1998 or more recently.

Western Sizzlin’ Renovates Store

The Western Sizzlin’ at 3492 W. Sunset Blvd. in Springdale was the second store in the 173-restaurant chain to undergo a renovation as part of the corporation’s image enhancement program.

More than $450,000 was spent to revamp the interior and exterior of the 9,980-SF restaurant, which was built in 1990, said Rich Ellis, a spokesman for Western Sizzlin’.

The restaurant’s new look was unveiled at a “grand opening ceremony” on Feb. 25, although the restaurant was never closed during the renovation work.

Mark and Laura Bazyk have owned the Springdale location since 1994. Austins Steaks and Saloon Inc. is the official name of the company that franchises Western Sizzlin’ restaurants.

Along with the renovation, the restaurant has added some new menu items, including “flamekist” entrees such as a 9-ounce sirloin steak and 12-ounce New York strip, fried catfish fillets, baked salmon on the evening buffet, fresh baked goods and fresh-cut salads.

Brioso Brazil Opens for Lunch

On March 3, Brioso Brazil of Bentonville plans to begin serving lunch.

Northwest Arkansas’ only Brazilian-style steakhouse will feature an “unlimited” lunch buffet, which includes salad and selected meats, for $14. Diners who don’t want grilled meat can opt for the unlimited gourmet salad buffet (which includes soup, salad and sandwiches) for $10.

Private meeting rooms are available with audiovisual equipment.

Lunch will be served between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.