Newk’s Eatery, the fast-casual restaurant known for its culinary-driven menu and open kitchens, is expanding to Central Florida, with plans to bring 10 to 12 corporate-owned locations to the Orlando area over the next five years.
Construction is underway on the first Orlando-area restaurant in the Waterford Oaks shopping center, owned by BluRock Development, at 1542 North Alafaya Trail. It is slated to open in mid-August. A second restaurant is planned for late 2016 at 11650 University Blvd.
The development plan will further establish Mississippi-based Newk’s as a major player in Florida, where the brand is currently growing in the panhandle region, Jacksonville, Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Palm Beach and Broward counties.
“Newk’s Eatery brings a fresh take on fast-casual dining to the Waterford Oaks center,” says Joe Schuemann, BluRock Development owner. “I’ve heard a lot of people say they’ve heard about Newk’s and are eager to try it. We feel there’s a great demand for the brand in the Orlando market.”
In addition to rapid corporate expansion in Orlando, Newk’s has a long-term goal of reaching more than 200 locations by 2018.
“Newk’s expansion into Central Florida is an important part of our growth plan,” says Chris Cheek, Newk’s Eatery CDO. “Our Orlando restaurant will be the first in Florida to feature our new contemporary design that we rolled out last year, and we think it will become a popular dining destination for the area.”
