“Blondie” Comic Creator Dean Young Makes a Dream Come True, Introducing Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes® Franchise

Clearwater, FL, May 16, 2006 --(PR.com)-- Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes LLC and “Blondie” comic strip creator Dean Young announced that Dagwood Bumstead is stepping out of the comic strip and opening the first Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes franchise location this summer in Tampa Bay.

For Young, the creator of the 75-year-old “Blondie” comic strip since 1973 when his father, the strip’s originator, passed away, the Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes franchise is his alter ego’s dream come true. For years, Young has been collecting and creating sandwich recipes that he hoped one day would appear in a special theme restaurant and live up to the world’s most recognized name in sandwiches.

“I love to eat,” said Young. “As Dagwood’s alter ego, I’m proud to say that I have a PhD in sandwiches and a black belt in buffet. I’ve been collecting my favorite recipes and storing them away in a secret vault at my Clearwater studio for years – from the ultimate skyscraper sandwich The Dagwood, to New York Deli Style Corned Beef, New Orleans ‘Po-Boys’ dressed just right, Curry Chicken Sandwiches and authentic Cubans. How great is that? Finally, people everywhere are going to get to experience the finest sandwiches on the planet.”

Dagwood’s expects to have thousands of locations in the U.S. and abroad by 2008 to meet the Baby Boomer Generation’s demand for high-quality, tasty sandwiches and a wholesome dining experience. The market for Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes spans not only generations but also cultures, with more than 250 million “Blondie” readers daily in more than 55 countries and 35 languages. Exclusive Market Partner Territories covering entire countries have already been reserved as far away as the Philippines, where Blondie and Dagwood are icons of traditional family values.

To create Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes, Young partnered with Lamar Berry of International Marketing Systems (IMS) to develop a franchise support program that will enable Dagwood’s to become one of the fastest growing franchises in history. Together they built a state-of-the-art test kitchen and brought in executive chef Geoffrey Rhode to develop a menu of more than 30 menu items featuring Dagwood’s Signature Sandwiches – plus soups and salads – made from the finest meats, breads and other ingredients. Working with industry-leading interior designers, Dagwood’s has created a unique in-store visual experience that will allow customers to step into a fun, wholesome, comic strip world.

“In the foodservice industry, Dagwood’s is ideally positioned. The sandwich category is growing 143 percent faster than the entire restaurant category, 229 percent faster than the pizza category and a whopping 1,600 percent faster than the chicken category,” said Lamar Berry, co-founder and chief executive officer for Dagwood’s. “Baby Boomers – which we think of as the Sandwich Generation – are looking for a change, and we believe they’re going to love what Dagwood’s has to offer.”

Berry, who has 30 years of executive experience in quick-serve restaurant (QSR) franchising, was head of marketing and advertising for Popeye’s Fried Chicken during its prolific growth from 25 sites to nearly 1,000 locations nationwide and sales approaching $1 billion in only a dozen years. Together with Young, the company’s resident sandwich expert, Dagwood’s has created a recipe for franchise success that includes low start-up costs, continued category growth, relatively simple operations, unmatched training and support, and universal consumer popularity.

Dagwood’s offers a turn-key business for Franchisees, which includes identification of ideal restaurant locations, financial and insurance services, real estate support, fully integrated training at Dagwood University, and restaurant layout and design packages that “drop” into a 1,200- to 1,500-square foot space in 60 to 90 days. More than 100 territories are being offered for sale to Market PartnersTM for between $200,000 and $300,000, each of which includes 40-75 individual restaurant franchise units. Each Market Partner will then sell the franchises to individuals who will own and operate the sandwich shops, and they will provide extensive operational and marketing support. In return, Market Partners will receive a generous portion of the unit-level franchise license fees and ongoing royalties. Individual franchise licenses will cost $20,000, and owners will be able to open a restaurant for approximately $200,000.

Training for Market Partners and Franchisees will be conducted at both the corporate headquarters in Clearwater and the Top Secret Test Kitchen in New Orleans under the tutelage of Valerie Oberle, the Dean of Dagwood U. Oberle was previously the vice president of Disney University, the custodian of Walt Disney’s fabled service culture.

“Each market territory is a sizable opportunity to grow an extremely lucrative long-term business,” said Berry. “We take care to ensure that our Market Partners and Franchisees share our values and are invested in building their business one sandwich at a time. This arrangement is ideal for someone who has already been successful in business, perhaps with a multi-unit operation, or someone who has taken a generous early retirement package and is looking for a rewarding second career.”

Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes, an innovative restaurant franchise headquartered in New Orleans, La. and Clearwater, Fla., is the brainchild of “Blondie” comic strip creator Dean Young and restaurant franchise marketing expert Lamar Berry. Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes have the fun, entertaining and universal appeal of the comic strip and, like the strip, they offer guests the opportunity to suspend disbelief and step into a fun, wholesome, comic strip world. Dagwood’s features more than 30 delicious menu items including Dagwood’s Signature Sandwiches – plus soups and salads – made from the world’s tastiest meats, unique breads and distinctive condiments. Additional information about Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes is available by visiting www.dagwoods.us.com.

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