Arooga's Grille House & Sports Bar, the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based casual restaurant and bar, today announced it has entered into a multi-unit franchise agreement with Jersey Wings Unlimited Inc. to open a minimum of six locations in the Monmouth, Middlesex, and Ocean County areas of New Jersey.
Arooga's currently has nine, soon to be 10, locations in Central Pennsylvania, another in Uncasville, Connecticut, adjacent to the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, and future sites in Chicago and Phoenix, with its first Chicago location opening late 2015. The new agreement gives the brand a total of 34 units, 10 corporate and 24 franchise locations, either built or under contract.
Igor Zak, the owner of Jersey Wings unlimited, is a retail and hospitality veteran of 25 years whose current franchise's include Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins. Zak says Arooga's is just the ticket for New Jersey. "This is really a classic case of love at first sight," Zak says. "As soon as I was introduced to Arooga's, I wanted to be part of its future. I am excited to be part of the growing Arooga's Nation."
"This is an amazing time for Arooga's franchise expansion and we could not be more excited to work with the Jersey Wings Unlimited team," says Keith Swade, director of franchise development for Arooga's. "We truly have created a blueprint to expand and extend this great brand."
Arooga's, on the verge of its seventh anniversary, recently made its out-of-state debut with its first franchise location in Uncasville, Connecticut, as part of a 15-unit franchise agreement with the Mohegan Tribe. Arooga's will be seen in Chicago as early as this summer and in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area by 2017.
"Arooga's expansion is officially in high gear now and we knew from the start that we were on to something completely innovative in an industry begging for something different," says Gary Huether Jr., president and co-founder of Arooga's. "We can't wait to bring our award winning wings to New Jersey and show their market what the Arooga's brand is all about."
