Twin Peaks Restaurants announced the restaurant has awarded its second largest franchise commitment to expand its presence into Southern Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio with 16 stores.

GT Hospitality Restaurant, LLC, signed a 16-store agreement to develop Twin Peaks throughout the Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke, Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati areas over the next seven years.

With 31 locations open in 15 states, Twin Peaks is a sports restaurant known for its rugged mountain lodge atmosphere, homemade comfort food, 29-degree draft beer, high-definition televisions and – its signature assets – the Twin Peaks Girls.

The GT Hospitality group is compromised of a team of skilled entrepreneurs and restaurateurs, including Aaron Plaunty and Frank Chopski, who combined have more than 35 years of experience in business management and restaurant operations. Chopski, who will be responsible for the restaurants’ operations and management, previously spent 20+ years in corporate management at Hooters and most recently oversaw development of fast casual startup Frankie Boy’s in Charlotte, N.C.

“Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio are completely untapped for Twin Peaks,” says Plaunty, the group’s spokesperson. “Guests are hungry for a fresh, updated sports restaurant with great food and an exceptional experience, and this is exactly what Twin Peaks brings to the table.”

The GT Hospitality team is currently scouting sites in Norfolk and Louisville for its first Twin Peaks location, and plans to open by the end of the year.

“We’ve been big fans of the Twin Peaks brand for the past few years and once the opportunity came around, we jumped at it,” adds Plaunty. “The concept has it all, from the awesome menu to the emphasis on super cold beer, and most importantly, the energetic atmosphere and amazing service provided by the Twin Peaks Girls. Twin Peaks is well on its way to being a new household name throughout the East and we are excited to be a part of that growth.”