From the Phoenix Business Journal:

Fifteen of the fast-casual [Corner Bakery Cafe] restaurants are planned in the state under an agreement between franchisee Roland Spongberg and WKS Bakery Cafe Inc. The chain, which serves breakfast items, salads, sandwiches and desserts, has more than 100 locations in nine cities across the country.

Spongberg’s WKS Restaurant Group expects to open its first restaurant in late 2008 near Arrowhead Towne Center in Peoria. He also operates 50 El Pollo Loco and Denny’s restaurants in Southern California and Phoenix.

Corner Bakery is scattered throughout Chicago where I live and is a staple for many urban lunch-goers. It’s strategy of blanketing select cities and building local brand recognition and leveraging marketing dollars is an efficient brand-building strategy. A primary reason to become a franchisee is to leverage existing brand recognition and pool marketing resources with other franchisees, which Corner Bakery seems to have incorporated into their expansion strategy.

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