Amsterdam Falafelshop is expanding its Boston-area presence with the addition of a new shop planned to open amid Kenmore Square’s residential and entertainment neighborhood.
Already a hit in nearby Somerville, Massachusetts, and a staple of the Washington, D.C., foodie and late-night scenes, Amsterdam Falafelshop announced that it be given a second Boston home in Kenmore Square. The fast-casual eatery concept has signed an agreement with local entrepreneurs and business partners Matt D'Alessio and Laurence Wintersteen to open the new shop.
“Bostonians have been begging for more, and where better than Kenmore Square to give Boston its second Amsterdam Falafelshop,” D’Alessio says. “This is going to be huge. We’re bringing award-winning falafel, an atmosphere, energy, and spirit that local residents, students, and late-nighters are hungry for in the Square.
D’Alessio, who owns the Somerville shop, and Wintersteen, a seasoned restaurateur in the Boston market, have signed a lease for the new location at 642 Beacon Street. Currently slated to open in the latter part of 2014, development of the restaurant is underway. Plans include doubling the seating of the Somerville shop.
“We couldn’t ask for a better tandem than Matt and Laurence to be growing the brand in Boston,” says Arianne Bennett, CEO of Amsterdam Falafelshop. “We’re confident they will channel the essence of Amsterdam Falafelshop in Kenmore Square with a devotion that has made our concept such a hit.”
The top-it-yourself falafel shop serves fresh-made falafel sandwiches and Dutch-style fries called “frieten.”
In addition to growing in Boston and surrounding suburbs, Amsterdam Falafelshop is moving forward with an aggressive U.S. franchise growth plan calling for expansion into select urban centers where the brand can maintain its originality among a diverse collection of consumers. The company is still accepting applications from qualified franchisees interested in further developing key U.S. areas throughout the Northeast, Eastern Seaboard, Midwest, and Southeast. Target markets include the Washington, D.C., metro area and Baltimore, Atlanta, the Carolinas, Miami, Tampa, the New York metro area, Philadelphia, and Richmond. Plus, Amsterdam Falafelshop has also pinpointed metropolitan areas across the midsection of the nation such as Chicago, Ohio, and other major metro markets in Texas.
There are three Amsterdam Falafelshop franchise locations currently operating — one in Annapolis, Maryland, one in Washington, D.C., and another in Boston. Additionally, there are four more shops planned for the greater D.C. area, three more in the Boston market, and multiple locations are planned for Salt Lake City and Dallas-Fort Worth.
