Three Pasadena restaurateurs are betting that entrepreneurs across the country want to snag a bite of their gourmet hot dog concept, Dog Haus.
Hagop Giragossian, Quasim Riaz and Andre Vener announced plans last week to turn their offbeat wiener chain into a national franchise.
The trio is prepared to begin selling the concept to interested franchisees in 36 states and will offer franchises in the remaining 14 states once registration requirements are met.
Riaz, who with Giragossian also co-owns King’s Row Gastropub in Old Pasadena, said the first franchises are most likely to open in Colorado and Utah, where potential investors have already expressed interest.
“We’re talking to someone in Denver and we just got a signed franchise disclosure document from them,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of interest.”
Buy-in and franchise fees will vary, depending on square footage and location build-out, but are estimated between $240,000 and $385,000.
The partners said Dog Haus puts an emphasis on quality food, grinding the meat for its all-beef skinless hot dogs in-house, then nestling the links in grilled Hawaiian rolls rather than traditional buns. Diners can choose from 10 prepared topping combinations or create their own. The restaurants also offer sausages and burgers, with sides that include Tater Tots, chili and coleslaw.
Giragossian, Riaz and Vener opened their first Dog Haus on Hill Street in Pasadena in October 2010. Within 18 months, the concept had grown to three locations in the San Gabriel Valley and garnered various accolades from media, including being named to CNN’s list of top five hot dog restaurants.
Riaz said the original intent for Dog Haus was not to franchise, but to grow the concept with his partners. But they decided to sit down with a franchise consultant after feedback from customers helped them realize the growing appeal of their fledgling brand.
“We would walk around Pasadena and even Burbank with a Dog Haus T-shirt on and someone would say, ‘Oh, I love that place,’” he said. “After sitting down with a consultant and understanding franchising, we all walked out and knew this is what we wanted to do.”
Revolving Door
Downtown L.A. resale and consignment boutique Buttons and Bows Los Angeles moved last week from a small shop on Seventh Street to a larger, more visible space around the corner on Spring Street. Co-owners Karen Marley (daughter of reggae icon Bob Marley) and Monique Aquino opted to move after 14 months in business to meet growing demand. … New York-based European furniture retailer Resource Furniture opened an L.A. showroom in West Hollywood earlier this month. The 1,600-square-foot space is only the second U.S. showroom for the retailer, which also has locations in Canada. … San Pedro’s Luminosity Entertainment LLC has partnered with New York hospitality company Urban America LLC to open a prohibition-themed restaurant on Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles this summer. The 5,500-square-foot eatery, Ebanos Crossing, will feature cocktails made from small-batch labels of mescal, tequila, rum and whisky at an expansive bar. … Home furnishings retailer Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams of Taylorsville, N.C., signed a lease earlier this month for a store on North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. The 11,500-square-foot store, slated to open in the fall, would be the company’s first corporate store in Los Angeles. More are expected to be announced later this year. … Fairfax Avenue pizza shop Damiano’s Mr. Pizza closed last month after 49 years in business. Chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, the duo behind the popular meatcentric restaurants Animal and Son of a Gun, recently took over the space. After completing renovations, the two have said they will open a barbecue, ramen or sandwich place. … Ethiopian restaurant Azla opened earlier this month on Grand Avenue near USC in the space formerly occupied by Mo-Chica. The popular Peruvian restaurant moved to a space on Seventh Street in downtown Los Angeles last year.
At Your Service
AG Properties, the L.A. intellectual property and licensing division of American Greetings Corp., a publicly traded greeting card company based in Cleveland, has named Sean Gorman president. Gorman was promoted after serving for six years as vice president of the division, best known for its animated series “Strawberry Shortcake” and “Care Bears.” Gorman replaces Jeffrey Conrad, who left the company to pursue other opportunities.
Staff reporter Bethany Firnhaber can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext. 235.
