Gold Star Chili will expand in the Cincinnati-Dayton, Central Indiana and Kentucky area, with six total stores planned to open in 2011.
Today marks the grand opening of a new Gold Star Chili in Erlanger, Ky. on the corner of Dixie Highway and Kenton Lands Road. The new store is owned by two long-time Gold Star franchisees, Wafa David and Basim Daoud, and adds to the growing presence in Eastern Kentucky.
Another new store recently opened in Versailles, Ind. Additionally, Gold Star is currently remodeling a former Skyline Chili restaurant in Ashland, Ky. The Ashland store is expected to open by the end of 2010.
The River's Edge at Milford location in Cincinnati has recently been remodeled and is under new management. It has shown a significant increase in sales since making these changes.
To increase brand awareness, Gold Star Chili has deployed its recently-upgraded "Chilimobile" in the area, where guests can sample some of the chain's menu items.
“Gold Star’s management team has spent considerable time and research to fine-tune the franchise economic model and optimal store design to enable new, well-financed franchisees to operate profitably in a short amount of time,” said Mike Rohrkemper, CEO of Gold Star Chili.
Gold Star Chili anticipates solid sales growth from its new stores since others in the area have shown success. For example, sales for the Lexington, Ky.- area stores are up 11.1 percent from a year ago. The Maysville, Ky.-area store sales are up 6.3 percent; Dayton area units are up 12.4 percent and sales in Seaman (eastern Ohio) are up 6.8 percent.
