Hi Alan,
Thought you might be interested in this article on the pending Baltimore RFC site. BTW what do you think of this location?
The theme restaurant wave is rolling toward Towson.
The Rainforest Cafe, a heavily forested restaurant complete with wildlife and wild weather, could open next fall in Towson Town Center.
Officials at the Rainforest Cafe, where customers can eat next to live animals and cascading waterfalls, are considering a 17,000-square-foot space on the second floor of the high-end mall on Dulaney Valley Road.
"The Rainforest Cafe is in negotiations with Towson Town Center," said Chris Schardt, general manager of the mall. "We feel good about it."
According to a company press release, the Hopkins, Wis.-based Rainforest Cafe has made "recent agreements in principle" to develop units in five locations including the Towson Town Center.
A spokeswoman for the Rainforest Cafe confirmed the company's interest in the Baltimore market but did not know how far along the company is in its negotiations.
The tropical rain forest restaurant is just one of growing carnival of theme restaurants that are expanding into the Baltimore market and nationwide.
The Hard Rock Cafe opened in July at the Inner Harbor's Power Plant, and the new ESPN Grill is slated for a summer 1998 opening. Planet Hollywood also is scheduled for a summer 1998 opening at Harborplace on Pratt Street.
The Rainforest Cafe's particular concept seems to be catching on. It was a 1997 Hot Concepts Winner awarded by Nation's Restaurant News, an industry trade publication. Officials reported revenues for the 39-week period ended Sept. 28, increased a hefty 157 percent to $73.5 million, compared to $28.5 million for the same period in 1996.
Net income for nine months of 1997 increased 152 percent to $8.3 million, or 47 cents per share, compared to net income of $3.3 million, or 23 cents per share for the same period in 1996.
The Rainforest Cafe, which went public in April 1995, was created by entrepreneur Steven Schussler.
In 1989, Schussler transformed his home into a Rainforest Cafe prototype, complete with tropical birds, aquariums and retail products.
With financial backing from Lyle Berman, chairman of the board of Grand Casinos Inc. and a group of investors, the first Rainforest Cafe opened in 1994 at the Mall of America in Minneapolis.
The Rainforest Cafe has 11 locations in the United States and around the world. The cafes range from 14,500 square feet in Cancun, Mexico to 30,000 square feet in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The closest cafe to Baltimore opened in October 1996 at Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Va.
The 19,500-square-foot restaurant seats 375 people and has a 6,500-gallon archway aquarium with tropical fish leading into the dining room.
Most recently the company opened another 20,000-square-foot location, which seats 345, in downtown Chicago.
The Rainforest Cafe recreates a tropical rain forest with live and animated wildlife, handmade coral reef, and lightning and thunder crashing overhead.
The Rainforest Cafe has two sound systems - one that emits weather sounds and another that plays sounds from the rain forest.
The cafe employs a full-time curator and a staff of animal-care specialists to care for the aquarium and the "Resident Parrots."
The birds come out of their habitat and visit the public for no more than a two-hour visit. The parrots are accompanied by an animal-care specialist who is wearing a microphone and giving educational information to diners.
The Rainforest Cafe also has a Retail Village which sells theme merchandise including apparel with the restaurant's logo.
The areas in existing locations range from 1,700 to 5,500 square feet.
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Hope all's well in Baltimore!!
Regards,
Dennis |
