Elevation Burger, a Northern Virginia-based chain known for its tasty organic burgers and patented fresh cut fries cooked in olive oil has added another multi-unit franchising deal to the Philadelphia area with entrepreneur Chris Phillips. Phillips, a former AlphaGraphics franchisee and Mobil Gas Convenience store owner, recently signed on to build three Elevation Burgers and is in the site-selection process now. The original Philadelphia franchisee, Michael Hup and a group of investors, plan to open their first of five Elevation Burger restaurants in the Philadelphia suburb of Wynnewood in June 2009. The restaurant will be located in the Wynnewood Center at 50 East Wynnewood Road in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, a Federal Realty Property. Hup will pursue LEED Certification for the Wynnewood restaurant, which is being built with bamboo flooring, recycled tiles, and energy-efficient equipment and water heater/cooling system. The two franchise deals together will bring a total of eight Elevation Burger restaurants to Philadelphia.
The innovative Elevation Burger chain is rapidly expanding its organic burger concept throughout the U.S. with three locations open in Falls Church, Virginia; Arlington, Virginia; and Baltimore, Maryland and more than forty new locations in development across Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., New York and Florida. Fransmart, the company that helped launch the ultra successful Five Guys Burgers & Fries chain, is leading the franchise development plans for Elevation Burger.
“I was originally looking for a 5 Guys Burgers & Fries franchise, but the only territories were re-sales outside of major markets. When I came across Elevation Burger I liked the concept for all the same reasons–they focus on one thing, and they do it well. Plus, the whole organic, better-for-you twist they have, all the while serving really, really good food. Elevation Burger is still very much an indulgence like 5 Guys, but their organic burgers, fries cooked in olive oil, and environmental focus make Elevation Burger unique and very much fitting with today’s trends,” says franchisee Chris Phillips.
Elevation Burger has had an explosive amount of support from local patrons in the Washington, D.C. metro area since it first opened in 2005. The concept has received recognition in prestigious publications such as Washingtonian magazine and The Washington Post as “best shake” and “best burger” nominees. Founder Hans Hess received the “Green Business Visionary” award in 2008 from the Washington Business Journal and will be receiving the 2009 Green Business Award from Washingtonian magazine in May of 2009.
