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1 4 r e s t a u r a n t d e v e l o p m e n t + d e s i g n • J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 BUZZ who's doing what Nando's PERi-PERi, the South African- Portuguese chain known for its spicy fame-grilled chicken, opened its newest Chicago-area restaurant, in the city's Lakeview neighborhood, in June. This marks the company's second of three planned units for the Windy City. The frst opened May 9 in the West Loop and a third is slated to open in the Lincoln Park/ New City neighborhood in September. Every Nando's is unique, featuring earthy textures and bright colors that refect its African-Portuguese heritage. With thousands of pieces of original works of art that refect the concept's roots, Nando's claims to have become the largest collector of South African contemporary art in the world. In the United States alone, there are more than 6,000 pieces of original South African art in Nando's restaurants. Worldwide, more than 8,000 unique pieces of art are on display. "We could have bought off-the-shelf décor and set- tled for being just another chain rolling out cloned restaurants," notes Burton Heiss, CEO of Nando's PERi-PERi USA. "But we believe that authentic contem- porary South African art can create truly surprising experiences and keep us connected to our roots." Portions of the collection are on display in the new Lakeview unit. Original South African paintings are displayed beneath a ceiling made from repurposed wood lath strips. Including the new Lakeview unit, Nando's now operates 23 restaurants in and around Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Cheeseburger Bobby's Introduces New Design Prototype Fast-casual gourmet burger concept Cheeseburger Bobby's is gearing up for franchise expansion with its site set on attracting Millennial consumers, thanks in part to a new, contemporary design prototype. Unveiled in mid-June and pro- jected to hit the market later this summer, the new look will feature a sleek, modern interior and exterior done mostly in earth tones to help emphasize food freshness. Design highlights include dark wood, black and stainless steel fnishes; large, trapezoid community tables where diners face each other on tall wood and black metal chairs; and large-format photos of burgers grilling and of fresh vegetables by the chain's signature Build Your Own Burger Bar. "After years of perfecting our menu, guest service and operations, we're at an exciting point of franchising the brand and rolling out a new look that appeals to both existing and a new generation of guests," said Bob Stoll, president. Cheeseburger Bobby's reports double-digit sales increases in the past six years with average unit sales of $1 million. The Atlanta-based company currently operates 10 locations in Georgia with three more in development. Through franchis- ing, it plans to grow to 75 locations in fve years in Atlanta and Augusta, Ga.; Nash- ville and Knoxville, Tenn.; and Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh, N.C. Nando's PERi-PERi Grows, Artfully, in Chicago Fast-casual, eco-friendly pizza brand Nea- politan Express has inked an agreement with restaurant franchise developer Fransmart. The concept, which launched its frst food truck in 2012, now operates a feet of mobile pizzerias that run on 100 percent Clean Energy Fuel, as well as two brick-and-mortar stores in New York City. One is in Harlem and the other, its fagship store, is in Wall Street's iconic Trump Building. Each unit contains a hand-built electric, open-mouth Italian oven that's powered by com- pressed natural gas and is capable of reaching temperatures exceeding 900 degrees F. Neapolitan Express has plans to develop 300 franchise units, including both brick and mortars and food trucks, within the next three years. NEAPOLITAN EXPRESS INKS FRANSMART AGREEMENT