Posted at: 10/03/2012 5:52 PM
By: Gordon Severson
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Email to a FriendLots of New Restaurants in Rochester
(ABC 6 NEWS) -- September employment numbers are holding their own even going higher than most economists projected.
In Rochester, hundreds of jobs are being added to an industry that was probably hit the hardest in this recession.
Just off of 2nd Street in a brand new complex three national restaurants, owned and operated by local entrepreneurs, share a common fate.
"We thought it was the perfect location to expand," says Cousins Subs Marketing Manager Matthew Somoles.
After a few tough years in the food service industry, all three owners are coming together forming an *unwritten* partnership.
Bringing customers options and reasons to buy their product.
"With the pizza now, the subs and dessert option they all kind of feed off each other," Cherry Berry Owner Joel Granberg says.
Each one is having their own success.
"We broke the Topper's opening weekend record for sales and opening week record by about 20%," Topper’s General Manager Keith Allen says.
Showing signs that the industry is recovering.
"We're seeing that on our front. We have a lot of locations opening up on the plan for 2013 and that's the way the growth plan has been going," Somoles says.
Between Cherry Berry, Topper's Pizza, Cousins Subs and the new Holiday Inn hotel, there's about 200 new jobs in this complex alone.
Plus there are other restaurants popping up in the city putting more people to work.
In downtown the Taphouse will hire a few dozen bartenders and waiters.
Down by the airport, Ground Round plans to hire 90 employees.
Proving that more and more business owners are finally feeling comfortable with the way things are going.
"Hopefully if things work out and keep going, we'll have a couple more stores in town here," Cousins Subs Vice President Brian LaBure says.
Both Cherry Berry and Topper's Pizza opened their doors a few weeks ago.
Cousin's subs will have their grand opening Thursday morning.
