General Growth Properties Inc. and family-style Italian restaurant Buca di Beppo will open 10 Buca di Beppo restaurants within the GGP mall portfolio during late summer 2012.
The multi-restaurant deal expands the existing diverse sit-down-dining offerings at the 10 regional GGP malls and marks a significant expansion of the Buca di Beppo restaurant group.
The GGP properties that will soon welcome Buca di Beppo include:
- Governor's Square Mall (Tallahassee, FL)
- Augusta Mall (Augusta, GA)
- The Shoppes at River Crossing (Macon, GA)
- Market Place Shopping Center (Champaign, IL)
- Florence Mall (Florence, KY—Cincinnati)
- Oakwood Center (Gretna, LA—New Orleans)
- White Marsh Mall (Baltimore, MD)
- Town East Mall (Mesquite, TX—Dallas)
- Red Cliffs Mall (St. George, UT)
- Fox River Mall (Appleton, WI—Green Bay)
The new Buca di Beppo restaurants will range in size from 4,500 sq. ft. to 7,000 sq. ft. and all units are scheduled to open in the summer 2012.
This expansion initiative is the first of multiple deals that are in development with Buca di Beppo and various GGP properties throughout North America.
Buca di Beppo's new locations will join the more than 90 units in the United States that feature its signature quirky decor, complete with irreverent photographs, strings of multicolored decorative lights, gingham tablecloths, and over-the-top service.
The menu will include generous portions of quality house-made cuisine, including such favorites as freshly baked Lasagna, Spaghetti with Meatballs "as big as your head," Shrimp Fra Diavolo, and Chicken Parmigiana, all served family style.
"These malls are situated in markets where customers desire expanded sit-down restaurant options," says Alan Barocas, senior executive vice president of leasing for General Growth Properties. "Each opening will complement the dining selection, further solidify the mall's standing as a popular dining destination and add much-needed jobs to the market. It's great news for everyone."
"This is a dynamic and exciting time for the growth of the Buca di Beppo brand," says Robert Earl, chairman of Buca di Beppo. "By offering high-quality cuisine in generous family-style portions at an exceptional value, Buca di Beppo has emerged as the preeminent casual-dining, Italian family restaurant. In partnership with General Growth Properties we will strategically enlarge our restaurant group with multiple new domestic restaurants with a rapid expansion into retail environments that offer high traffic counts, appealing demographics, and accessibility to consumers who appreciate great quality at a great value."
General Growth Properties Inc. owns or has an interest in 136 regional shopping malls comprising about 140 million square feet of gross leasable area in the United States.
Buca di Beppo is owned by Planet Hollywood International Inc., with locations from Washington D.C., to Honolulu.
