Hot Dog Deal Could Trigger 2M SF of New Retail

Through its parent, Famous Food Group Inc. of Katonah, NY, Famous Uncle Al's Hot Dogs and Quality Restaurant Ventures plan to open up to 200 franchised Uncle Al's Hot Dogs restaurants in the Southeast over the next several years, according to the companies' prepared statement. Uncle Al's already has an existing location in Deltona, FL in Volusia County, about 30 miles north of Downtown Orlando. The chain also has three other Florida sites under construction.

The estimated size of each hot dog location is about 10,000 sf. That could translate to two million sf of new restaurant development, area retail brokers familiar with the activities of both publicly traded chains tell GlobeSt.com. Craig Melton, territorial director at Quality Restaurant Ventures, will find locations and assist individual franchisees with their start-up operations, according to Richard Michael, marketing director for Famous Uncle Al's.

"With locations in Virginia already in place and Craig's locations in Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana, we hope to become not only America's best grilled hot dog, but also the favorite grilled hot dog in the South," says Michael.

Famous Uncle Al's Hot Dogs was started in Virginia Beach by Brooklyn, NY native Al Stein. "Stein grew up eating hot dogs at Coney Island and started selling them at the age of 10 at his grandparent's boardwalk stand in Far Rockaway, NY," Michael says. "His first unit was such a success locally that he began selling franchises himself in Virginia, growing the chain to 10 locations."

Quality Restaurant Ventures has been in the submarine sandwich business in Central Florida for 35 years. The company has investments in franchising Sobik's Subs, Famous Uncle Al's Hot Dogs and Westshore Pizza. Quality Restaurant Ventures' affiliate company, Ultimate Franchise Systems Inc., has investments in 585 franchised restaurants and weight-loss clinics in 30 states.