Wetzel’s Pretzels (Wetzel’s), the iconic brand known for its fresh, hand-rolled pretzels, is opening its ninth bakery in the Chicago Metro area. The brand has joined forces with Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, to continue its development in Illinois. The new location is situated inside the Walmart at 420 N Weber Rd.
The new bakery signifies Wetzel’s Pretzels’ continued expansion into high-traffic retail environments, including prime Walmart locations. The new bakery brings even more flavor to the community with its craveable snacks and refreshing drinks, a perfect pairing for any shopping trip. Veteran Wetzel’s operator Mike Alkaki is spearheading the opening. He currently operates two locations at the Orland Square mall, located in the Chicago south suburbs of Orland Park. Drawing on his career background in retail as an investment broker, Alkaki plans to expand the brand throughout the Greater Chicago area.
“Wetzel’s Pretzels continues to be a great partner, providing a proven model and strong support for franchisees,” said Alkaki. “Their operational guidance and commitment to quality make it easy to focus on what matters most, our guests. We’re proud to expand again with the Romeoville location and look forward to serving this community with the same friendly service and craveable snacks our guests know and love.”
The Romeoville Walmart location showcases the flexibility of the Wetzel’s concept, offering a buildout design that is adaptable to the retailer’s footprint. As the brand continues expanding in non-traditional spaces, its store-within-a-store model proves ideal for integration into Walmart locations, with further growth planned across the nation.
“We are thrilled to keep expanding our presence in Illinois and proud to have Mike leading the way as we bring handheld happiness to Romeoville,” said Jon Fischer, Head of Development at Wetzel’s Pretzels. “As we continue opening in more Walmart locations, this initiative showcases the adaptability of our concept and how it allows us to reach even more communities nationwide. We’re confident this bakery will be a hit with shoppers looking for a fresh, fast, and fun snack experience.”
Wetzel’s has been sharing its signature handheld happiness ever since its founding in Pasadena, California, in 1994. The brand continues to attract a cult-like following in communities across North America through its cool SoCal feel and crave-worthy snacks that cultivate special moments of pure pretzel bliss between friends, family, and colleagues.
For additional information about Wetzel’s franchise opportunity, visit https://www.wetzelsfranchising.com.
