Health-minded individuals, as well as those looking to eat healthier foods, will have a new place from which to choose soon.
Einstein Bros. Bagels will make its way to East Peoria in the near future, said Paul Carolan, senior vice president of franchising and licensing for Einstein Noah Restaurant Group.
“You guys are in for a treat. An Einstein’s is a bakery café concept,” Carolan said, adding that food items are baked fresh on site.
Bagels, egg sandwiches, wraps, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits and coffee are some of the items on the menu for breakfast. Five different brews of bottomless-cup drip coffees are on tap each day.
“Morning breakfast is the center of our plate. We lead the category,” Carolan said. “We’re probably one of the few this past year in which our breakfast sales have actually increased.”
The restaurant was selected in the top 10 healthiest concepts in 2009, Carolan added.
“Our customers frequent us well over seven times a month. We become a part of their lifestyle,” Carolan said.
For lunch, sandwiches on whole grain breads are part of the staple.
“No. 1 for our female customer is our tasty turkey on an asiago bagel with the light spread of cream cheese and cucumbers and bean sprouts,” Carolan said.
Sandwiches can be washed down with iced teas or fruit smoothies.
“We’ve been growing across the country. We have about 500 corporations and franchise stores,” Carolan said. “The No. 1 complaint we’ve had is, ‘We love your stores and restaurants but there’s not one here.’”
To meet demands, Carolan said they started offering the business as a franchise. In choosing franchisees, Carolan said they look for people with experience.
“Central Illinois is a natural migration for us from our Chicago-based business. It’s basically consumer demand. It’s a great problem to have,” Carolan said.
The environment at Einstein Noah Restaurant Group is relaxing and casual, Carolan said.
The restaurant’s Web site states that the environment offers a cozy, warmly lighted lunch café with comfy chairs and community tables to convenient counter-order bagel delis.
The restaurant’s Web site states the concept of quick casual is more than a trend. “In fact, the $6 billion segment is one of the fastest growing niches in the restaurant industry. This growth is attributed to aging baby boomers who are willing to pay a little more for quality food in a comfortable environment and a youth culture that needs a place to ... hang out.”
The customers who frequent Einstein’s the most are active, health-oriented women, Carolan said.
“Women tell us what they like about us compared to the other brands ... they don’t feel like they have to get dressed up. They feel comfortable in our restaurants for whatever they are doing in the day. The message we’re hearing is, ‘You’re healthy, you’re fresh.’”
In choosing East Peoria for a location site, Carolan said a demographic analysis was performed. Restaurant officials are now in the process of working with a real estate group to ID the best site in East Peoria.
“We try to find a good mix of residential, commercial, hospitals, churches and schools, so obviously we’ll look downtown. We’re excited to be there,” Carolan said, adding the exact location of where the first store opens depends on real estate.
Planners are looking to locate an Einstein’s in East Peoria, Peoria, Bloomington and Normal.
“The process of finding a site takes a good one to three months,” Carolan said.
After that, it takes 11 to 12 months to open a store.
Einstein’s is based in Colorado. In Illinois, restaurant sites are heavily situated in Chicago.
The business generally employs about 25 people and stays open until 5 or 6 p.m.
“From a restaurant lifestyle, it’s the best because you’re home in time to have dinner with your family,” Carolan said.
For more information, visit www.einsteinnoah.com.
East Peoria, Ill. —
