Potbelly Increasing Area Footprint

According to a recent OBJ report , Potbelly Sandwich Shop’s Orlando expansion plan will broaden in the near future.

Citing Shari Nasir, CEO of Maitland-based Sugarland Investment Group LLC (Potbelly’s local franchisee), has increased its agreement with Potbelly Corp to 12 restaurants, the report states.

“Potbelly is something Central Florida doesn’t have, and the concept has proven itself very well all over the U.S. Orlando has so many transplants from different parts of the country, so I think the brand carries a lot of weight here. … I really believe in the brand — that’s why I brought it here,” Nasir told the OBJ .

Evidently, the East Colonial Drive location has gone “exceptionally well, with sales exceeding projections.”

While no leases have been signed, Nasir identified future markets by name.

“We’ll be expanding everywhere — we’re going to go to Lake Nona, we’re going to try to get into the airport, we’re going to go to Windermere and Winter Garden. … We’re going to be all over Central Florida.”

The OBJ added that she will prioritize plazas and shopping center with high traffic, citing a desire for “very busy areas.”

“We are building a lot of jobs in Central Florida,” Nasir said to OBJ . “It’s not like a local quick-service place where you have a small staff — each location staffs about 30 people between catering, frontline sales and everything in between. We’re going to be building not only operational roles, but we’ll be building corporate roles as our corporation grows. You’re looking at upward of 300 jobs in Central Florida with these 12 locations.”

No addresses or timelines have yet been set.

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