Largest Huddle House gets new ownership

Huddle House was recently featured in The Times and Democrat for the re-opening of the Orangeburg location. Led by Mark Coker, the restaurant recently re-opened under new ownership, giving the restaurant a modernized look with an all new menu, updated appliances and landscaping. This is one of the largest Huddle House restaurants in the country and sales in Orangeburg are already up 44% from the opening on June 16th. Mark hopes to continue the growth of the brand in the area and plans on finding more ways to connect with the local residents.

Largest Huddle House gets new ownership
The Times and Democrat

When the move was made in 1992 to its present site at the former home of McDonald's on Calhoun Drive, the restaurant became the largest Huddle House in the country.

The idea was to make room for more people at a popular eatery. Most Huddle Houses seat 50 to 60. The Orangeburg location can handle 80.

New owner Mark Coker is hoping he'll need every one of those seats.

On June 16, Coker opened the 20-year-old Huddle House in Orangeburg, bringing not only new ownership but updates to the restaurant.

When Coker acquired the Orangeburg location, renovations to the interior, exterior and the menu were necessary, he said. The changes are aimed at making the building more attractive and customer-friendly.

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Huddle House to celebrate this Saturday

The Huddle House was recently featured in the Piedmont Journal, where the local Huddle House was celebrating its 35th Anniversary. L.T. Morgan, who originally brought the Huddle House to Piedmont opened the restaurant on August 1, 1975. Today, his daughter, Marsha Morrison now owns and operates the restaurant, and plans to pass it on to her oldest son Cale, to keep the spirit of Huddle House alive in the town. This is a great article for the Huddle House, really showing the connections that have been made in the community, making Huddle House the oldest business in Piedmont.



Huddle House to celebrate this Saturday
Piedmont Journal
by Eddie Burkhalter

For any business to last 35 years there has to be some magic. If asked, Huddle House customers in Piedmont might say the magic is L.T. Morgan.

The 82 year-old Morgan and his wife Jeanette opened the restaurant on August 1, 1975, and it will hold its’ 35th anniversary celebration at the 505 US 278 Bypass East location starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, August 7.

“He know everybody that walks through the door,” said Marsha Morrison, L.T.’s daughter, and along with her husband Brent Morrison, current owners of the restaurant. Morgan sold the business to his daughter in 1996 and Marsha and Brent Morrison have continued to run and manage the restaurant since then.

Many days Morgan can still found behind the grill, or chatting with the customers, and although he might not be quick to say he is the magic, he will offer up a good explanation of what he thinks the magic could be.

“Good service, real good food and a friendly atmosphere,” said Morgan.

Meeting customers, talking with them and providing quality service; all part of what any business should do, but it just seems to come naturally to Morgan, and he’s made sure to pass that gift down to his staff.

The only time Morgan has spent away from the business was for a brief two-week retirement after his wife Jeanette passed away in 1996. “He retired for two weeks and everybody wanted to know where my dad was,” said Morrison.

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Congrats to the 2009-2010 "Best of the Best"

Regional winners:

Piedmont Region-Greenwood, SC
Gulf Region-Magee, MS
Mid-Atlantic-Ludowici, GA
Atlantic Coastal-Stokesdale, NC
Northern Mountain-Baxter, TN
Western Region-Williamsville, IL
South Region-Chiefland, FL

And the 2009/2010 finalists:

Second Runner Up-Ludowici, GA
Runner Up-Greenwood, SC
Winner-Williamsville, IL

Huddle House expands into Western Pennsylvania

Huddle House was recently featured in the Observer-Reporter in an article about the new opening in Claysville as well as delving into the future expansion plans for Western Pennsylvania. The article goes on about how Huddle House has adapted to the economic climate, lowering the initial franchise fee, hoping to spur multi-unit expansion. A portion of the story is shared below, and you can view the full article here.

Casual dining chain Huddle House opens in Claysville, looks to bring more W. Pa. stores
By Michael Bradwell, Business editor

Huddle House, a casual dining chain focused primarily in the Southeast, recently opened its first Pennsylvania site near Claysville, and already is planning a major expansion in Western Pennsylvania, a company official said last week.

Jim Bullock, Huddle House's director of franchising, said the Decatur, Ga.-based chain of 435 restaurants sees the region as the next logical extension of success it has found in the West Virginia market.

He noted that the franchisee of the Claysville store has a unit in Moundsville.

"There's a lot of interest all over the Pennsylvania market, but we think the Pittsburgh market is prime for us," Bullock said, adding that he's already talked with several people who have expressed interest in franchising stores in Washington, Uniontown, Greensburg and Bethel Park.

While the Claysville store represents a retrofit of an existing building at the truck stop, Bullock said most Huddle House operations are built around the concept of a local diner, featuring chrome trim, checkerboard tile and bright-red, cushioned counter stool seating with diner booths. (Read More)

Franchise opens doors in Kermit

The Huddle House was recently featured in the Odessa American about the new location opening in Kermit, Texas led by Kent Co. Alan Brinker, director of operations for Kent Companies, and Jim Carr, Director of Franchising for Huddle House, were both interviewed for the article discussing expansion plans throughout the area, as Kent Co. are signed on to open 20 Huddle House locations across Texas and New Mexico. This is the second location open in Western Texas, and the third open location out of the planned 20 units. The Huddle House has brought 40 jobs so far to the town of Kermit, offering incentives such as 401 (k) and medical benefits to a town that is mainly known for its jobs in the oil fields. This is a great feature article for the new opening in Kermit, as it will bring more awareness of the brand and alert the surrounding communities of its growing presence in the region.

A portion of the story is shared below, and you can view the full article here.

Area Huddles Up
By Geoff Folsom

KERMIT Two customers approach Kermit’s newest dining destination, not knowing the greeting they have in store.

“Two huddling in,” one staff member says to another.

As the customers open the door, the staff lets them know they are wanted.

“Welcome to Huddle House,” one employee says to the couple.

“Welcome to Huddle House,” another says … and another … and another.

Alan Brinker, director of operations for the Kent Companies, which owns the area Huddle House franchise, said the greetings are part of making sure that employees and customers have a good time in the restaurants.

“We welcome every guest, make sure they get acknowledged,” he said. “It’s a fun environment.”

And soon Odessa will be part of the environment. Brinker said the company plans to break ground on an Odessa location in October. He hopes to open the restaurant, which will likely be located in the West County Road area, in early 2011.

“It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think we could put at least two in Odessa and two in Midland,” he said.

The Kermit store, which opened June 3, is the second Huddle House location Kent has built in the Permian Basin. Brinker said it is part of a 20-restaurant development deal for the Atlanta-based chain in West Texas and eastern New Mexico.

The 24-hour store brought 40 jobs to Kermit, a town of around 5,700 located 45 miles west of Odessa. Brinker said that with a new Kent Kwik convenience store that opened next door, his company brought a total of 55 jobs to the area. (Read More)

Huddle House's Franchising Incentives Package Featured in the Fort Worth Business Press

The Huddle House was recently featured in the Fort Worth Business Press for its franchising incentives package, that is boosting the growth of the brand in the stagnant economic conditions. Jim Carr was interviewed for the article, speaking about the projected growth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and the incentives that are in place to help attract potential entrepreneurs. What the Huddle House is offering to franchisees who sign on in 2010 is a reduction of the initial franchise fee, from $25K all the way down to $5K and an elimination of royalties for the first 5 months of operation. This article is a great way for entrepreneurs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to gain awareness of the Huddle House brand, and learn about the incentive packages that they are offering until December 31, 2010.

A portion of the story is shared below, and you can view the full article here.

Franchises offering bigger incentives for D-FW locations
BY ALESHIA HOWE
July 19, 2010

A handful of national franchise brands – ranging from service retailers to restaurants – are offering big startup cost discounts and bigger royalties to new franchisees who live in ‘hot’ areas. And North Texas is hot these days.

At the start of 2010, Pricewaterhouse

Coopers’ Franchise Business Economic Outlook for 2010 predicted a slow growth year for the nation’s franchise market and several franchise companies looking to expand into North Texas have responded – with incentives in tow.

“We introduced a development incentive this year, in light of the current economic climate we’re operating in, that offers a new franchisee the opportunity to have a reduced initial franchise fee and some waived base royalty fees,” said Jim Carr, director of franchising for Huddle House, a full-service family diner chain typically open 24 hours a day. “… It’s a real good, solid incentive plan for areas we want to expand into. And the Dallas-Fort Worth area is definitely one of those.” (Read More)

Huddle House expansion plans discussed in the Pittsburgh Business Times

Huddle House was recently featured in the Pittsburgh Business Times, in an article entitled, “Huddle House Breaks from South, Looks to Pittsburgh Area.” For the article Jim Bullock, Director of Franchising, discussed the brand’s growth strategy and overall growth potential that the Pittsburgh market offers. A portion of the story is shared below, and you can view the full article here.

Huddle House breaks from South, looks to Pittsburgh area
Pittsburgh Business Times - by Tim Schooley

The Huddle House, a Southern staple that serves up comfort food with the slogan, “Any food any time,” is beginning to expand north of the Mason-Dixon line and into the Pittsburgh area.

In April, the Atlanta-based restaurant franchise opened its first location in the region in Claysville, a small town on Interstate 70 in Washington County.

Encouraged by the results so far, the company said it is close to reaching agreements with local franchise operators who are expected to open five or six more in the Pittsburgh area by the end of the year. (Read More)