Coco's Bakery
| Subsidiary | |
| Genre | Bakeries |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Founder | John and Audrey McIntosh. |
| Headquarters | Carlsbad, California, USA |
| Parent | Zensho |
| Website | www.cocosbakery.com |
Coco's Bakery Restaurant is a chain of casual dining restaurants operating in the Western portion of the United States. As of 2015, it operates 42 restaurants out of California, Arizona, and Nevada. It began as The Snack Shop in 1948 in Corona del Mar, California, and had switched owners multiple times.
Locations
As of 2015, the chain operates 42 restaurants in California, Arizona, and Nevada.
History
In 1948, The Snack Shop along the Pacific Coast Highway in Corona del Mar, California, was purchased by John and Audrey McIntosh. John and Audrey decided to purchase the restaurant after he had worked there for only two weeks. They grew the snack shop concept to many more units and then in 1960 expanded the business into Reuben's in Newport Beach. Then in 1965 expanded the Snack Shop concept to Coco's and the Reuben E. Lee. Ultimately converting all Snack Shops into Coco's. As the name implies, the restaurant features pies. After the conversion of the Snack Shops to Coco's location, as well the newly expanded Reuben's steakhouse franchise that were co-located on Coco's properties, the entire operation was sold to W.R. Grace & Co., a New York chemical conglomerate, as part of its Restaurant Services Division. During this period of Grace ownership, Grace also added local Mexican restaurant chain El Torito, Carrows and many others. After years of poor performance, W.R Grace spun off 145 restaurant locations in a leveraged buyout to Restaurant Enterprises Group, a company composed of Grace managers.[1][2] In 2002, Coco's, along with its sister chain Carrows, was purchased by Catalina Restaurant Group, headquartered in Carlsbad, California. In 2006, Catalina Restaurant Group was bought by Japanese company Zensho Co., Ltd., which has operated Coco's Japan for many years.[3]
Coco's parent company Catalina Restaurant Company was purchased by Food Management Partners based in San Antonio Texas on 4-1-15. They closed 75 stores without notice. The corporate headquarters was closed without notice to the employees. They were all fired and given no severance or health insurance. FMP website reflects ownership of Buffalo Wild Wings, Smash burger, Little Caesars Pizza as well as other regional restaurants.
Competition
In California, Coco's Bakery/Carrows competes directly with Denny's, Norm's, Polly's Pies and Marie Callender's restaurants.
References
- ↑ Hayes, Scott. Orange County Magazine. Emmis Communications. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- ↑ Horovitz, Bruce (February 12, 1986). "W. R. Grace Will Sell 124 Units in Restaurant Group". Los Angeles Times (Times-Mirror Corporations). Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- ↑ Catalina Restaurant Group Announces Merger with Zensho America Corporation