1/17/2003
Roly Poly rolls into area with 3 restaurants
By Lori Hayes
Lansing State Journal
OKEMOS - The California Hummer, Hickory Cristo and Porky's Nightmare will
roll into mid-Michigan next week.
The region's first Roly Poly Rolled Sandwich
Shop opens next week in Meridian Township, the
first of three restaurants opening in Greater
Lansing within the next two months.
The quick, casual chain touts itself as a healthy
choice among fast-food chains. Roly Poly's niche
is rolled sandwiches, with 50 hot and cold
combinations of vegetables, spreads, meats and
cheeses rolled in 12-inch flour tortillas.
"You start driving around looking for a
good-tasting, healthy meal, and they are not easy
to find," said Russ Horton, who is opening the
restaurants with business partner Rick Price.
With no restaurant experience, the two teamed up
nearly a year ago to launch the Roly Poly chain in
mid-Michigan.
The East Lansing residents bought the franchise rights for the Greater Lansing
and
Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti areas. They plan to open up to seven restaurants in each
market.
Horton, 59, previously owned Lesco Corp., a Lansing-area promotional products
distributor started by his father in 1953. He sold the company in 1999 to a national
conglomerate.
Price, 62, worked in information systems for General Motors Corp. and EDS Corp.
for 37 years. He then ran an apartment management company for three years.
The Okemos location on Central Park Drive, next to Blockbuster Video, is slated
to
open Wednesday.
A second store on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, also next to a Blockbuster,
will open in mid-February. And a third location will open in March in Delta
Township on the corner of Saginaw Highway and Creyts Road.
Horton and Price then plan to open stores in Ann Arbor before adding more to
the
Lansing area.
Fast-food restaurants with a healthier menu, such as Subway, are making
tremendous gains, while traditional burger chains such as McDonald's and Burger
King are struggling, said Rob Gifford, executive director of the Michigan Restaurant
Association.
"There is a whole segment of consumers that don't want to brown bag their lunch,
but don't want to eat burgers and fries every day," Gifford said. "There is a
need for
fast, healthful alternatives."
Roly Poly does not use any processed foods, and nothing is fried or cooked in
butter
or oil. The menu offers 14 vegetarian choices and dozens of six- and 12-inch
sandwiches at a price of $3 to $6. It also includes soups and salads.
"The key words are quick, casual and delicious," Price said. "We want raving
fans."
Roly Poly's startup costs are about $100,000 for each franchise.
The chain made its Michigan debut last spring in Grand Rapids.
Founders Linda Wolf and Julie Reid opened the first Roly Poly in 1996 in Atlanta
and started franchising the concept the following year.
Now, there are more than 90 locations in 19 states, with more than 200 signed
for
development.
"This is going to be a very hot franchise in the next two years," Horton said.
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