When you think of Jersey Mike’s, you probably think of subs, and not real estate. But the Manasquan-based sandwich chain is bolstering its real estate team to help it continue a rapid growth pattern, it announced recently.
The company announced it has added Cortney Rickle as director of real estate for the Northeast and Paul Williams as director of real estate for the South Central markets. Jersey Mike’s said it is following the opening of 170 stores in 2017 with plans to open more than 200 in 2018.
Rickle and Williams will support efforts to find prime real estate for new store locations for franchisees in their regions, as part of a nationwide push.
“Our goal in 2018 is to continue the explosive growth and momentum that Jersey Mike’s experienced last year,” Senior Vice President of Real Estate Mike Parkhill said in a prepared statement. “As our brand continues to saturate the U.S., we’re energized to add two talented and knowledgeable industry vets like Paul and Cortney to the team.
“We are focused on securing 300 quality sites for our franchise partners in the coming year.”
Williams has worked in restaurant and retail real estate, most recently as a real estate manager for Jack in the Box Inc., where he led corporate and franchise real estate development in a six-state territory for the company’s Jack in the Box and Qdoba Mexican Grill brands.
Rickle has spent the past six years with Lakewood-based Paramount Realty Services Inc. as a leasing agent, specializing in work with new franchisees and regional tenants in New Jersey.
Earlier this year, the company added a pair of senior franchise sales executives to aid in franchise development nationwide, it said. The most recent hires will complement the additions of Stephen Sweetman and Corby Cronin to the staff.
