Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, known for its award-winning, hand-crafted sandwiches, signed a franchise agreement set to bring a new restaurant to the Des Moines area within the next year. This will mark the first location for the Des Moines market and the fourth location for Iowa.
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. Local entrepreneurial couple and Iowa natives Blake and Kristy Lorber are the franchisees for the Des Moines restaurant.
“We fell in love with Capriotti’s years ago while living in Las Vegas, and when we began looking for a business opportunity, there was no question it had to be Capriotti’s,” says Blake Lorber. “We look forward to introducing the brand to the Des Moines area and contributing to expansion in the Midwest.”
Capriotti’s has more than 100 fast-casual restaurant locations across the country, with a strong presence on the East Coast and West Coast.
“We are excited to continue momentum in Iowa and throughout the region, as we partner with franchise owners who are passionate about the Capriotti’s brand,” says David Bloom, Capriotti’s chief development officer. “Des Moines is primed for development because of its strong economic growth, and the Lorbers are a great fit to bring Capriotti’s to the area.”
Capriotti’s will open 15 new shops in 2017 and will grow the brand to 500 locations by 2025 through franchising. Capriotti’s has franchise opportunities for single and multi-unit developers, and is seeking additional franchise partners in Iowa to develop the Dubuque and Iowa City areas.