Melt gelato & crepe café has taken its first franchise order out of its home state of California, setting up shop at Paradise Valley Mall, and plans more than 20 Arizona locations over the next three years.
The Laguna Hills company said the Phoenix cafe is the first step in an expansion across the U.S. Additional store openings in 2006 will include San Francisco, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Toledo, Philadelphia, Connecticut and New Jersey, Florida. Three more Arizona stores are planned before year end, one in Superstitution Springs, and two in Tucson — at Tucson Mall and Park Place, said Clive Barwin, Melt Inc. president and chief executive officer. “We hope to have in excess of 20 within 36 months,” he said.
“As an entrepreneur and someone who has always wanted to own my own business, I wanted to sell something fresh, fun and different,” said local franchisee Angela Chung. Melt gelato & crepe café is a quick-service restaurant offering Italian gelato and sorbetto, crepes and smoothies made from crushed fruit.
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