Second of 11 Newk’s Eateries Planned for Tampa Bay Area to Open September 12
Newk’s Eatery – a rapidly expanding fast-casual restaurant brand known for its bold flavors and fresh ingredients – is opening its first Sarasota restaurant on Monday, September 12. Opening in the Mall at University Town Center, the new Sarasota location will be the brand’s second restaurant in the Tampa Bay area. The first debuted in Clearwater this past December, operated by the Aeolus Group – a local franchise team with more than 10 years of industry experience who plans to franchise a total of 11 Newk’s Eateries in the Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Lakeland and Clearwater markets over the next several years. This growth plan plays a large part in Newk’s overall goal to open as many as 30 new restaurants in the Sunshine State within the next five years.
“Newk’s Eatery is a brand that will speak to Sarasota and Tampa Bay area diners with its incredibly fresh ingredients, made-from-scratch meals and a setting that feels like home,” said Newk’s franchisee Aeolus Group’s Area Director David Baker, who has lived in the Tampa Bay area for 12 years. “Everything we do can be summarized into two words: fresh and flavorful. That’s what we’re all about. Handmade, imported, house-roasted, garden fresh – those are the kinds of words you’ll hear tossed around our kitchen because we want our guests to expect the exceptional.”
At the September 12 opening, doors will open to the public at 11 a.m. However, the first 100 people in line will be granted special early access to the restaurant, along with a gift package stocked full of premium Newk’s prizes. The first 50 will also be guaranteed their fill in Newk’s flavors with a free $100 gift card.
Located at 5405 University Parkway, Sarasota’s Newk’s Eatery will offer indoor dining for 140 guests and patio dining for nearly 50 more in its 4,500 square-foot space. The new restaurant will also provide roughly 80 job opportunities for local applicants and will be open Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Newk’s menu boasts a wide range of imaginative entrées and re-invented old favorites, including time-tested family recipes from Newk’s founding family, the Newcombs. Each of its fresh-tossed salads, artisan pizzas, hot toasted sandwiches and kettle batch soups are handcrafted in the brand’s signature open-view kitchens, along with homemade desserts baked in Newk’s own company bakery. Sourcing the finest, freshest ingredients available— including imported cheeses and prime meats, sushi-grade fish, hand-chopped seasonal vegetables, house-roasted garlic, homemade dressings and house-infused olive oils – Newk’s guarantees every meal is served fresh and served fast.
The Jackson, Mississippi-based Newk’s Eatery currently has 103 locations in 13 states and plans to expand to more than 200 units by 2019. For more information about Newk’s or to view Newk’s menu, visit Newks.com or follow Sarasota’s Newk’s Eatery restaurant on Facebook.
For information on franchise opportunities, go to www.newks.com/franchise.
Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk’s Eatery is leading the next generation of fast casual with its culinary-driven menu prepared in Newk’s open-view kitchens, featuring made-from-scratch soups, fresh tossed salads, artisan pizzas, hot toasted sandwiches and desserts. Founded in 2004, Newk’s currently operates and franchises more than 100 units in 13 states and is gaining national attention for its accelerated growth and commitment to community. The newest Newk’s restaurants feature a “Generation 2” design, presenting a fresh, on-trend look for the brand while maintaining the company’s signature warmth and open-view kitchen. FastCasual.com named Newk’s among its Top 50 “Movers and Shakers” in 2015 and 2016, while Franchise Times magazine ranked Newk’s among its top “Fast and Serious” franchise brands for the second year in a row, and Technomic listed Newk’s in its Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. Also recently, the brand was named among NRN’s Top 200 and Top 5 Fastest-Growing Chains, along with Restaurant Business’ Top 40 Fast-Casual Chains. For more information, visit Newks.com, join the Roundtable Club or follow Newk’s on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.