Benihana Inc. Announces Plans for New RA Sushi Restaurants in California and Illinois
Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ:BNHNA and BNHN) announced today it has signed lease agreements to open new RA Sushi restaurants in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and Tustin, California, near Newport Beach.
RA Sushi is a fast-growing chain, built around a vibrant restaurant concept and offers popular priced sushi and other Asian menu items. Acquired three years ago, RA Sushi now operates eight units and has five others under active development, including the two announced today. The Glenview and Tustin restaurants are expected to open in the spring and winter of 2006, respectively.
"The RA Sushi restaurant concept is exceptionally popular and is becoming a strong brand for Benihana," said Joel A. Schwartz, Benihana President and CEO. "The new RA Sushi restaurants we are announcing are in highly desirable locations that are in existing RA Sushi markets. This will enable us to benefit from RA Sushi's emerging brand identification, plus economies in marketing and promotion and efficiencies in labor and management. Our plans call for accelerating the chain's expansion."
RA Sushi restaurants currently are located in San Diego, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Chicago, Illinois; and five in Arizona, one in each of Tucson, Tempe, Ahwahtukee and two in Scottsdale.
"The RA Sushi restaurant concept is exceptionally popular and is becoming a strong brand for Benihana," said Joel A. Schwartz, Benihana President and CEO. "The new RA Sushi restaurants we are announcing are in highly desirable locations that are in existing RA Sushi markets. This will enable us to benefit from RA Sushi's emerging brand identification, plus economies in marketing and promotion and efficiencies in labor and management. Our plans call for accelerating the chain's expansion."
RA Sushi restaurants currently are located in San Diego, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Chicago, Illinois; and five in Arizona, one in each of Tucson, Tempe, Ahwahtukee and two in Scottsdale.
