Photo by Matthew Sigur
Baton Rouge-based Jambalaya Shoppe in franchising stage, wants to double number of locations in the next year
The Jambalaya Shoppe will open its eighth location on O’Neal Lane Saturday, June 20. A grand opening celebration is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. The event includes giveaways and door prizes.
The new Jambalaya Shoppe at 2565 O’Neal Lane will feature a drive-thru. Its business hours will be Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m.
The new shop will be the fast-casual restaurant’s flagship location and the prototype for future franchise locations, according to founder and CEO Cheryl Fontenot.
|
|
|
“The demand to franchise is there,” Fontenot says. “We’ve been getting requests from Washington, California and Las Vegas.”
The franchise strategy includes rebranding The Jambalaya Shoppe so that all stores will have the same look, feel and theme.
“We’re taking a little from all the stores and putting in what we like and taking out what we don’t like,” she says.
|
|
|
The Jambalaya Shoppe started more than two decades ago in Gonzales by Fontenot and her husband, Stefan. Fontenot’s son and vice president of operations Andy says he would like to see 16 new stores by the next year or year and a half.
“The sky is the limit,” Andy Fontenot says. “We believe that we could grow as fast as what Raising Cane’s grew. I would like to see us at about 50 stores in five years, across the country.”
The Jambalaya Shoppe is already at work on its ninth location in Houma. Four more Louisiana locations are in the works as well.