PITTSBURGH, July 19, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Unique Pizza and Subs Corporation (Pink Sheets:UPZS) a Delaware Corporation, has announced that it has converted six existing pizza locations based in the Pittsburgh market into Unique Pizza and Subs franchises. Each of the six locations average between $450k -- $500k per year in sales. The six franchises are located throughout the Pittsburgh area: 4329 Northern Pike, Monroeville; 2528 Sarah St, Southside; 20 Beaver St, Leetsdale; 261 Moon Clinton Rd, Moon Township; 210 Grant Ave, Millvale and 1611 Broadway Ave, Beechview. By signing the UFOC agreements to convert their stores over to Unique Pizza and Subs franchises, the six locations will immediately start paying Unique Pizza and Subs Corporate a weekly franchise fee. Jon Amato (owner of the Southside location) stated; "I am very excited about the benefits of being a part of Unique Pizza and Subs nationwide expansion, the Customer Response Center alone will save my location around $25,000 a year and should help to increase my sales by an extra $75k to $100k! Joining on with Unique Pizza was the smartest business decision I could make and I look forward to helping Unique grow nationwide."
James Vowler, President and CEO of Unique Pizza and Subs, stated, "This is just the beginning of our expansion, we have two more locations ready to open in Monaca and Robinson Twp. (Pa) in the next couple of weeks. In the Boston and Milwaukee markets we have 70+ locations scheduled to open, with the first store opening next month in Harvard Square and nationwide we have 194 locations scheduled to open by the end of 2007. I have dedicated the last fifteen years to develop and operate a pizza franchise that would be able to rapidly expand nationwide and succeed in any market. We will use the conversions of these six stores into Unique Pizza and Subs as the catalyst to get us there."
Since the beginning of its development stages back in 1991 Unique Pizza and Subs clearly has separated themselves from the other major pizza franchises. They needed to have more than just the best product in the industry; they needed a way to grow rapidly in any market. They noticed all the major pizza franchises were predominately located in only highly populated markets, leaving a tremendously large pizza eating population only serviced by independent pizza shops. Two of the main reasons the major pizza franchises do not locate in smaller markets is because of their inferior quality of their product compared to the local independents and their corporate ownership is not usually welcomed. To succeed in a smaller market, a pizza shop needs to have these key elements: a high quality and consistently made product (all of their recipes were designed to have the quality of a "mom and pop" pizza shop with the consistency of a major franchise), good, professional and friendly customer service (UPZS is the only publicly traded pizza franchise that will have all of its locations orders routed to their professionally staffed Customer Response Center), and an owner; that lives, works and pays taxes in that small market (all of the conversions of independent pizza shops into Unique Pizza and Subs will retain the same local ownership)."
In addition to Monaca and Robinson Twp. Pa, Unique Pizza and Subs is also in advanced negotiations for: Houston, Texas; Clinton, Michigan; Ontario, California; Royal Oak, Michigan; San Diego, California and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; with the minimum commitment of five locations per territory. This recent flurry of activity is taking place as Unique Pizza and Subs is preparing to open (194 committed locations by the end 2007) franchises in Austin, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Northeastern North Carolina, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Virginia and several additional locations in Western Pennsylvania this summer.
About Unique Pizza and Subs Corporation, a Delaware Corporation
Unique Pizza and Subs Corporation currently is a startup/development stage company. Jim Vowler, President and CEO, completed four years of research before opening his first pizza restaurant in Millvale, PA and then spent the next eleven years refining every aspect of the pizza business and was responsible for opening more than 20 locations under the name Unique Pizza Factory Corporation. Mr. Vowler's pizzas were the official pizza of the Pittsburgh Penguins and won numerous awards for taste and quality. Calling on this experience, Mr. Vowler has assembled an experienced management team to further develop the company's unique, quality products and business model that is well positioned for rapid growth.
The Unique Pizza and Subs logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2466
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 27E of the Securities Act of 1934. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, ability to obtain financing and regulatory and shareholder approval for anticipated actions.