How Howard Schultz’s Other Chain Avoided Starbucks’ Over-Expansion

BNET:

Nearly a decade ago, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz invested in a little Chicago sandwich chain called Potbelly Sandwich Works through his venture-capital arm, Maveron. Potbelly’s management team seem to have learned from the overexpansion problems at Starbucks, and have slowly laid the groundwork for a smash-hit chain.

Getting a high-flying investor like Schultz might have made many chains go nuts and expand liked mad. But since Maveron’s 2001 investment, Potbelly has taken it slow, growing gradually to about 200 stores. Here’s why Potbelly is poised to be the next great national sandwich chain. More.