Donatos Pizza, a leading pizza franchise and creator of Edge-to-Edge pizza, has signed a development deal with Sheldon Restaurant Group, LLC for three new locations in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Northeast Nashville, Tennessee.
Under the agreement, the restaurants will be developed over the next three years, the first of which is expected to open in Bowling Green within the next 12 months. Additional locations are planned for Hendersonville and Gallatin, Tennessee. Donatos has more than 150 locations nationwide, including nine locations throughout Kentucky and a store in Nashville.
“This is a prime example of our aggressive expansion efforts in the South and of our strategic partnerships with seasoned business owners and operators,” says Tom Pendrey, Donatos COO. “The Sheldon Family has been an anchor in Bowling Green and surrounding areas for over 35 years, and we could not have found more perfect partners to boost Donatos’ footprint.”
The Sheldon family brings a diversified portfolio of business ownership, including one of the largest independent drug stores in the country. Steve Sheldon, president of Sheldon Restaurant Group, LLC, has been involved with commercial real estate throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee for decades.
“After visiting the corporate office in Columbus, meeting with the leadership team and sampling the products, we knew immediately that we have found something extremely special,” says Spence Sheldon, vice president of Sheldon Restaurant Group. “We are extremely proud and excited to carry on Donatos’ rich history and family tradition and to be able to continue serving our community.”
Donatos Pizza was founded in 1963 in Columbus, Ohio, by 19-year-old Jim Grote. In 1999, McDonald’s purchased the company, but in 2003, when the company later decided to refocus on burgers, Jim and his daughter, Jane, bought back Donatos. Now in Ohio and beyond, serving strombolis, wings, oven-baked subs, salads, and desserts in addition to its Edge-to-Edge pizza, Donatos’ trademark that comes with more than 100 pieces of pepperoni on it.
