Matchbox, a homegrown group of neighborhood restaurants across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia, announced its entry into franchising, bringing its wood-fired pizzas, creative American bistro fare, and come-as-you-are vibe to new markets nationwide. The first franchised location is set to open later this year in Charlottesville, Virginia, taking over a 4,038-square-foot, 130-seat space at 2055 Bond Street in The Shops at Stonefield. Maurice Kelly, a former Navy Intelligence Officer with a background in management consulting and cyber security, is the franchise owner.
Thompson Hospitality, the parent company behind Matchbox, will bring the locally-owned and operated group into the franchising market to fuel expansion outside of the Mid-Atlantic region where most of its locations currently operate. Since opening in 2003, Matchbox has grown to ten restaurants in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, plus two storefronts in Dallas, Texas and Sunrise, Florida.
“Matchbox offers a friendly, high-energy concept and team-driven franchise model with support systems in place to help our partners be successful,” says Warren Thompson, president and CEO of Thompson Hospitality. “We attribute the brand’s enduring success to staying closely connected to our core value of bringing people together in a comfortable, inviting setting over delicious food and drink, and are looking for spirited partners to help us expand the experience to new communities.”
As its national expansion plans continue to take shape with forthcoming franchises, Matchbox is slated to open several new properties in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Reston, Va. (spring 2020), Cathedral Heights in Washington, D.C. (spring 2020), and Columbia, Md. (summer 2020).
