FSR magazine April 2018

REAL ESTATE
rants will always be our bread and butter,
but changing market conditions, such as
increasing development costs and different
demands from consumers, have
resulted in us looking at different locations,”
Conklin says. In seeking in-line
and end-cap locations, the chain tries
to secure sites that have great visibility
from the street, pylon signage, great
access, and plenty of parking.
The imporTance
of siTe visiTs
Buffalo Wings & Rings also relies on science,
but takes a very hybrid approach
when selecting new locations, says Philip
Schram, chief development officer of the
Cincinnati, Ohio–based company, which
has 56 locations across the country.
The brand turns to data-mining companies
such as eSite Analytics. “They can
tell you who lives nearby, who works
nearby, and who are the customers,” Schram
says. “Therefore, we can understand
if our restaurants would fit.”
If a site’s approved, a team visits it
to look at a number of factors, but primary
among them are traffic, visibility,
and a vibrant trade area. It also looks at
the demographics. As a sports bar, the
company wants to be in an upper-bluecollar
or middle-white-collar area.
Schram has learned his lesson about
site visits and knows they’re non-negotiable.
He once skipped a Texas site visit
and didn’t realize the location was only
accessible from one side of the freeway.
“So, theoretically, while we have access to
a huge population, we actually only have
access to half of it.” The site was also halfway
between two vibrant trade areas and
three miles from most houses, which is
too far. This location, he says, has struggled
since it first opened.
Paige Hospitality Group is making
its first forays out of the New York City
region and expanding its brand, The Ainsworth,
to Kansas City in January, Nashville
in April, and Philadelphia this summer.
How To Choose
Your Next Location
GeT booTs on The Ground
Nothing stands in the place of getting to know the area
firsthand
harness TechnoloGy
Use digital analytics to gather demographics, traffic
numbers, and population stats
learn from peers
Look at who else has located nearby and notice if there
other anchors like big-box stores to draw customers in
examine The GrowTh
The rate of eating and drinking sales says a lot about the
health of the market
FLickr - Wu HaoxiaNg
FOODNEWSFEED.COm apriL 2018 59