Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, known for its award-winning, hand-crafted sandwiches, has signed a franchise agreement set to bring three new restaurants to Rhode Island, with the first location opening in Lincoln in April 2019.
The new restaurants will be owned and operated by entrepreneurial couple Kevin and Maria Stoehr. For Kevin, who previously ran a construction company for 20 years, and Maria a pre-K teacher and avid fan of the brand, Capriotti’s was the perfect business venture to start their ‘second act’ careers. The couple, previously from Rhode Island, currently live in Las Vegas where the brand is headquartered, and are looking forward to bringing the fan-favorite brand back to their home state.
“Residents of Rhode Island know good food, and appreciate fine Italian ingredients,” says Kevin. “After living in Las Vegas for the past 23 years, Capriotti’s has become a household name for us, and I’m excited to bring it back to Rhode Island. We’re confident the sandwiches will be well received, and look forward to making the Bobbie, our signature sandwich, a household name there too.”
In addition to the Lincoln location, Kevin and Maria currently have two additional restaurants in the pipeline, set to open over the next few years. The couple plans to ultimately expand beyond these three units, as they’ve acquired the development rights to the entire state of Rhode Island. Currently, the brand has more than 100 fast-casual restaurant locations across the country, with a strong presence on the East and West Coasts.
Capriotti’s is most famous for its 40-year nightly tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house and hand-shredding them each morning to feature in a variety of fan-favorite subs. This includes The Bobbie, the shop’s acclaimed best-seller, made with homemade turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo on a soft roll.
“We’re excited to have Kevin and Maria joining the Capriotti’s family, as this is a very transformational time for the brand,” adds David Bloom, Capriotti’s Chief Development Officer. “The new Rhode Island locations will feature our newest store design, among other innovations, and we’re looking forward to seeing the reaction from our East Coast fans who have been loyal to the brand for the past 40 years.”
The company signed 29 franchise agreements in the last year, and has over 100 restaurants in the pipeline for development. Capriotti’s offers franchise opportunities for single and multi-unit developers.
