Newk’s Eatery—a rapidly expanding fast-casual restaurant brand known for its foodie flair—is next week bringing its signature brand of fresh, flavorful eating to the Tampa Bay area, Florida, with the region’s first Newk’s Eatery restaurant. Opening in the Clearwater Mall on Monday, December 21, just in time to serve holiday shoppers, the new Clearwater location will be the brand’s first restaurant in the state to be located south of Jacksonville, Florida. The franchisee team behind Monday’s opening is Aeolus Group—a team with 10 years of industry experience who have committed to opening 11 Newk’s Eateries in the Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Lakeland, and Clearwater markets over the next several years.
“We believe Newk’s Eatery will speak to Clearwater and Tampa Bay area diners in much the same way the brand first won us over—with its made-from-scratch meals, dynamic flavors, and extraordinarily fresh ingredients,” says Newk’s franchisee Rama Kommireddy, who has lived in the Tampa Bay area for more than 23 years. “Newk’s menu features flavors from all across the board—from light, coastal cuisine, and Mediterranean fare to Deep Southern BBQ and Asian-inspired, sweet and salty recipes—it’s a menu that truly has something for everyone.”
At Monday’s 11 a.m. grand opening in the Clearwater Mall, the first 50 guests to walk through Newk’s doors will be awarded a year’s supply of exceptional flavors from Newk’s. Each guest will be given a gift package full of premium Newk’s items, along with 52 VIP cards—each card valid for one free entrée and drink for each week of the year. Only one set of VIP cards will be awarded per family. The next 50 guests in line will be given a gift package stocked full of Newk’s signature merchandise.
Located at 2613 Gulf to Bay Boulevard in between Mattress Firm and Tires Plus, the Clearwater Mall Newk’s Eatery will offer indoor dining for 154 guests and patio dining for 20 more in its 5,225 square-foot space. The new restaurant will also provide roughly 50 job opportunities for local applicants and will be open Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
The Jackson, Miss.-based Newk’s Eatery currently has nearly 95 locations in 13 states and plans to expand to more than 200 units by the end of 2018. Newk’s Eatery has been named one of QSR magazine’s “Best Franchise Deals.”