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PHOENIX-With close to two decades of restaurant development experience, developer Chuck Gibson has taken the reins as vice president of the newly formed restaurant practice group for the Staubach Retail's West region.

Gibson, who began his job this past week, oversees a group which has, as its goal, the responsibility to provide specialized real estate services to local, regional and national restaurants in Arizona, Utah, Nevada and New Mexico. Though Gibson's expertise isn't brokerage, he does know what it takes to build and run a restaurant, having served as a development officer for major national and international chains including Bennigan's, Steak and Ale, Ponderosa and Bonanza steakhouses, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Boston Market and Pizza Hut.

"There are 100 of us guys and one of him," says Dave Cheatham, executive vice president for Staubach's West Division. "He's got the knowledge."

The purpose of the new division, Cheatham continues, is to help restaurants streamline real estate and development activities. "It's a lot easier if you can come up with a one-source, whole program that allows them to roll out to six markets, than to have to go to six different brokers in different markets and work with separate teams," Cheatham says. "People want a single point of contact."

Gibson's 18 years in the industry made him the logical choice to head up the new division, Cheatham tells GlobeSt.com. "He's in a position to think about the concerns of the restaurateurs," he explains, "and then can determine how to use a brokerage network to get their needs met. He can also translate any concerns that the restaurant people have to us, then use the brokers to help execute things to everyone's advantage."

The ability to assist in restaurant development was, in fact, one reason why Gibson left his former job as development director with Dallas-based Metromedia Restaurants. "Having done this as long as I have, I think I've gotten good insight as to what the needs are from a restaurateur's point of view as it relates to market planning, deal structure, site planning and managing a pipeline on the tenant side," Gibson says. He adds his background allows him to help identify what should be done "hopefully keep a lot of deals moving fast."

Though the Phoenix-based division is still in its early days, Cheatham says there is a great deal of interest in it. "One of the things we're seeing in the industry is a lot of pressure on restaurants and retailers to shave costs," he says. "If they can leverage their organization and streamline things, it gives them a competitive advantage. If they're going to outsource, they want to make sure they're getting the expertise and best-of-class service."

As a result, Gibson says his personal goal is to bring more attention and focus to the restaurant niche. "I'd want us to come in and to try to be a full-service, real estate services provider for restaurants of all types of sixes, from those in shopping centers to large pad users," he says.

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Veteran Restaurant Developer Leading Staubach Group

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