Fazoli's Eyes Early 2003 Opening in Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TX-Fazoli’s Italian Restaurants, headquartered in Oak Brook, IL, is coming out of the ground on a 1.2-acre site at the College Park Shopping Center in the Woodlands. The casual dining restaurant is scheduled to open in early 2003.

Charlie Dechiro of Dechiro Cos. in Houston was tapped to represent Fazoli’s in the land purchase. Seller Woodlands Operating Co. LP used its director of retail sales and leasing, Greg Jordan, to negotiate the land sale.

The 89%-leased College Park Shopping Center is a 90-acre development, which opened in fall 2001. Fazoli’s will join a lineup that includes Chuck-E-Cheese, La-Z-Boy Furniture, Wal-Mart and Garden Ridge Pottery.

Fazoli’s has 400 franchised locations, 27 of which are located in Texas. Houston has three and the western suburb of Katy has one. The concept was rolled out in 1988 by Jerricho, the parent company of Long John Silvers. In 1990, the chain was sold to Lexington, KY-based Seed Restaurant Group Inc.