BUBBLE TEA FRANCHISE

Apparently a very famous Taiwanese franchise. The lineup was long.

$3.90 or was it $2.90....I just remember the prices were around the same in Vancouver

ĺ6 (RMB) taiwan style milk tea
yum
Shanghai

A handful of Crazy Dog Kennels dogs hanging out. They are, from the front, Robin, behind her to the left is the bi-eyed Probe, opposite him to the right is Streak (not running in the 2008 Iditarod due to injury, but still my sweetheart), behind Streak the black dog with the white blaze and the super blue eyes is Mambo. Behind Probe the black dog with the white socks, throat and chest is Bongo. Behind Bongo is Robin's litter brother, Galen and in the very back is the one flop eared Motta

This dog kennel which is in the courtyard at Ightham Mote is Grade 1 listed. It was made in the late 19th. century for a St. Bernard named Dido.

Bobby-dog's kennel now being surplus to requirements it was recycled up the valley to house one Charleston-dog newly arrived in the parish from Normandy. Charleston is one big hound so the doorway may have to be lightly greased to get him in.

Guard dog kennels at Robben Island, Western Cape, South Africa. Robert Sobukwe House is in the background. The point they made about the dog kennels on the tour was how much bigger they were than inmate's cells.

In 1986, two young brothers opened a revolutionary frozen yogurt retail concept in Toronto, Canada. It was a modest effort: a small store with an extraordinary product and a great design. A concept was developed that provided consumers a health experience unlike any they had tasted before. They immediately fell in love, and a strong following pursued.

Today, Yogen Früz has grown to be a world leader in the frozen yogurt category, with over 1200 locations operating in 25 countries around the world. Yogen Früz was recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine for its accomplishments and rated the number one Franchise in the World in 1999 among the Franchise 500.

Yogen Früz provides delicious and nutritious frozen desserts, just what you need to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

for Franchise

A houe of worship on International Boulevard in Oakland... possibly an IHOP or Wienerschnitzel franchise in a previous age. Like many sacred places in the old country this building has been repurposed time and again to fit the needs of the contemporary population.

Ihop in Liberty Avenue, Queens, NY

Today there is one restuarant known as Cold Rock Cafe. It is located in the same building as the grocery store.

In the later years of the Navy base, all amenities that anyone could think of from the Lower 48 could be found in Adak. This included the all-American fast food of none other than McDonalds.

Today the franchise sits abandoned. It's all locked up. I know, I tried to get a better look inside.

Happi House Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Tenders Plate

Hilton Manhattan East (the former Tudor Hotel)
304 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017

Very interesting brick work.
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Completed in 1930 the Tudor City Apartment Hotel’s architect was the Fred F. French Company.

French was also a real estate developer who conceived Tudor City, a multi building residential enclave of neo-gothic towers. He is quoted as saying “"You can't overbuild in New York.” A 1920’s brochure for Tudor City described it as a "human residential enclave" with "tulip gardens, small golf courses, and private parks."

By 1932 the project was completed with 9 big apartment houses and a hotel. It is thought to be the first residential skyscraper complex in the world. It takes its name from England’s Tudor Dynasty.

From the Tudor City Historic District Designation Report – The Hotel Tudor is the only Tudor City building that was erected as a transient hotel and not for permanent residence. It is a 23-story building built with 600-rooms (singles, doubles and 2-room suites). On the upper floor some rooms had access to private roof terraces. The building extends through the street and faces onto East 41st street as well. The 42nd Street façade is three bays wide. Of interest about the façade are the texture and pattern of the brickwork – on the piers and within the spandrels – and the glazed tiles used on the recessed entrance.

Its crossword-style rooftop sign remains a familiar sight for those looking east from nearby Grand Central Terminal.

In a February 1997 press release Intercontinental Hotels announced it acquired the 300-room Tudor Hotel and will rename the property Crowne Plaza Hotel at the United Nations. This acquisition marks the second Crowne Plaza Hotel in New York City and the sixth to open in the greater New York area. The 65-year-old hotel underwent a total renovation in 1993, creating the property's current blend of European style and first-rate amenities.

According to HVS the Crowne Plaza UN was sold by InterContinental Hotels Group in May 2005 to Highgate Holdings for $34,000,000 or $113,000 per room.

In 2007 Crain’s New York reported Highgate Holdings dropped the Crowne Plaza franchise for its 300-room hotel following a 10 year run and is reclaiming its original name – Tudor Hotel at the United Nations. The general manager, Bob Williamson, claims the hotel’s average room rate is running in the mid $200s and the savings on the franchise fees will be redirected to advertising its independent name and renovations.

HVS reported the now independently operated Tudor Hotel was sold in September 2007 by Highgate Holdings to the Procaccianti Group for $114,000,000 or $380,000 per room. At the same time Highgate also sold the 138-room Holiday Inn Soho to the Procaccianti Group for $130,000,000 or $573,000 per room. The Procaccianti Group (TPG) is a Cranston, Rhode Island-based real estate developer/hotelier.

Robert Leven, The Procaccianti Group’s Chief Investment Officer, said in a September 2007 press release that despite the significant price appreciation of the Tudor Hotel the Rhode Island real estate company believes in the long term the New York City market is the best in the world. Leven (the son of Microtel founder Mike Leven) said "The Tudor Hotel at the United Nations is a quality asset with an irreplaceable location.”

The Tudor Hotel at the United Nations is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in close proximity to the United Nations, Grand Central Station, and is located directly across the street from the Pfizer World Headquarters and is nearby the world headquarters of Metropolitan Life Insurance and Colgate Palmolive. The Procaccianti Group plans to invest $8 - 10 million in the Tudor Hotel at the United Nations to upgrade the guest rooms and other public space.

In April 2010 Hilton Worldwide announced the branding and renaming of the former Tudor Hotel New York to Hilton Manhattan East. It is Hilton’s 4th branded hotel in Manhattan joining Hilton Times Square, Hilton New York and Millennium Hilton. TPG (The Procaccianti Group) completed a multi-million dollar renovation to its lobby and bar areas, which complement the guestroom transformation finished in 2009.

Louis Llach, the former Helmsley Hotels Operations Director, is TPG’s Area General Manager.

In September 2010 The Hilton Manhattan East rented about 90 rooms to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his staff who were in NYC for the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Bulletproof glass was installed over some room windows.

Text and photos compiled by Dick Johnson
October 2011
richardlloydjohnson@hotmail.com

Hilton Manhattan East (the former Tudor Hotel)
304 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017

Completed in 1930 the Tudor City Apartment Hotel’s architect was the Fred F. French Company.

French was also a real estate developer who conceived Tudor City, a multi building residential enclave of neo-gothic towers. He is quoted as saying “"You can't overbuild in New York.” A 1920’s brochure for Tudor City described it as a "human residential enclave" with "tulip gardens, small golf courses, and private parks."

By 1932 the project was completed with 9 big apartment houses and a hotel. It is thought to be the first residential skyscraper complex in the world. It takes its name from England’s Tudor Dynasty.

From the Tudor City Historic District Designation Report – The Hotel Tudor is the only Tudor City building that was erected as a transient hotel and not for permanent residence. It is a 23-story building built with 600-rooms (singles, doubles and 2-room suites). On the upper floor some rooms had access to private roof terraces. The building extends through the street and faces onto East 41st street as well. The 42nd Street façade is three bays wide. Of interest about the façade are the texture and pattern of the brickwork – on the piers and within the spandrels – and the glazed tiles used on the recessed entrance.

Its crossword-style rooftop sign remains a familiar sight for those looking east from nearby Grand Central Terminal.

In a February 1997 press release Intercontinental Hotels announced it acquired the 300-room Tudor Hotel and will rename the property Crowne Plaza Hotel at the United Nations. This acquisition marks the second Crowne Plaza Hotel in New York City and the sixth to open in the greater New York area. The 65-year-old hotel underwent a total renovation in 1993, creating the property's current blend of European style and first-rate amenities.

According to HVS the Crowne Plaza UN was sold by InterContinental Hotels Group in May 2005 to Highgate Holdings for $34,000,000 or $113,000 per room.

In 2007 Crain’s New York reported Highgate Holdings dropped the Crowne Plaza franchise for its 300-room hotel following a 10 year run and is reclaiming its original name – Tudor Hotel at the United Nations. The general manager, Bob Williamson, claims the hotel’s average room rate is running in the mid $200s and the savings on the franchise fees will be redirected to advertising its independent name and renovations.

HVS reported the now independently operated Tudor Hotel was sold in September 2007 by Highgate Holdings to the Procaccianti Group for $114,000,000 or $380,000 per room. At the same time Highgate also sold the 138-room Holiday Inn Soho to the Procaccianti Group for $130,000,000 or $573,000 per room. The Procaccianti Group (TPG) is a Cranston, Rhode Island-based real estate developer/hotelier.

Robert Leven, The Procaccianti Group’s Chief Investment Officer, said in a September 2007 press release that despite the significant price appreciation of the Tudor Hotel the Rhode Island real estate company believes in the long term the New York City market is the best in the world. Leven (the son of Microtel founder Mike Leven) said "The Tudor Hotel at the United Nations is a quality asset with an irreplaceable location.”

The Tudor Hotel at the United Nations is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in close proximity to the United Nations, Grand Central Station, and is located directly across the street from the Pfizer World Headquarters and is nearby the world headquarters of Metropolitan Life Insurance and Colgate Palmolive. The Procaccianti Group plans to invest $8 - 10 million in the Tudor Hotel at the United Nations to upgrade the guest rooms and other public space.

In April 2010 Hilton Worldwide announced the branding and renaming of the former Tudor Hotel New York to Hilton Manhattan East. It is Hilton’s 4th branded hotel in Manhattan joining Hilton Times Square, Hilton New York and Millennium Hilton. TPG (The Procaccianti Group) completed a multi-million dollar renovation to its lobby and bar areas, which complement the guestroom transformation finished in 2009.

Louis Llach, the former Helmsley Hotels Operations Director, is TPG’s Area General Manager.

In September 2010 The Hilton Manhattan East rented about 90 rooms to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his staff who were in NYC for the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Bulletproof glass was installed over some room windows.

Perkins Restaurant and Bakery is a North American casual dining restaurant chain which serves breakfast throughout the day, including pancakes. Perkins also has a bakery that sells pastries that are baked fresh daily.

History:
1958: Matt and Ivan Perkins open Perkins Pancake House in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1958-1969: Matt and Ivan oversee the franchising of their restaurants.
1967: Perkins Minnesota Franchisee, Wyman Nelson, introduces an expanded menu and an aggressive advertising campaign. He develops a growing interest in expanding the Perkins brand beyond his initial territory.
1969-1978: Nelson consolidates Smitty's and Perkins into Perkins 'Cake & Steak' to gain national brand awareness for the chain and assumes nationwide development control of Perkins 'Cake & Steak,' Inc. In a quest to grow quickly and steadily, Nelson focuses on opening over 220 Perkins Cake & Steak House restaurants.
1978-1979: Matt & Ivan Perkins decide to retire and sell their final interest in the Company including all trademark and distribution rights. In August 1979, Perkins becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Memphis-based Holiday Inns, Inc. Corporate headquarters are established in Memphis, Tennessee.
1985: Seasoned restaurant entrepreneur Donald N. Smith, who served on the Board of Directors of Holiday Inns, purchases ownership interest in Perkins and becomes Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He brings over twenty years of restaurant leadership to the position.
1986: Smith begins to refine and upgrade the Perkins concept through building re-modeling, the introduction of in-store bakeries and the development of distinctive brand imagery and standardized signage. Renewed emphasis is placed on fine-quality, table service family dining. Recipe modifications and new signature items including updated omelettes, melt sandwiches and salads are introduced.
1987: The Company is renamed Perkins Family Restaurants and organized into a master limited partnership with interests publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
1988: Perkins expands internationally, opening a restaurant in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
1990: Perkins begins its philanthropic relationship with Give Kids the World, contributing both money and free meals to the Florida based charity, dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of terminally ill children from around the world.
1991: Perkins Promise of 100% Guest Satisfaction and Quality Forever for Everyone is published and becomes the cultural benchmark for the Company - "In everything we do, we commit ourselves to our guests and our co-workers."
1992: The first new Perkins prototype opens in Springfield, Illinois. Featuring a new arched exterior façade with neon lights and an interior design that incorporates a central kitchen and bakery with separate dining wings for increased efficiency and guest satisfaction, the building reflects a more upscale look consistent with its expanded menu offerings and personalized service.
2000: Perkins Family Restaurants, L.P. completes its merger with a wholly owned subsidiary of The Restaurant Company. The Restaurant Company (TRC), owned by Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Donald N. Smith, Harrah's Entertainment and the Equitable Life Assurance Company, becomes sole owner of Perkins Family Restaurants.
September 22, 2005: Castle Harlan, the New York-based private equity investment firm, announces it completed the acquisition of The Restaurant Company for approximately $245 million.
As of year end 2005: The Restaurant Company has 151 company-operated and 331 franchise full-service restaurants in 34 states and five Canadian provinces.
May 3, 2006: The Restaurant Company completely acquires Marie Callender's,[1] a chain of casual dining restaurants best known for freshly baked pies.
2008: Perkins celebrated 50th anniversary of bakery and restaurant chain.
2011: - June 12, 2011 - Many restaurants were abruptly closed across the country with no notice given to customers and staff. States where Perkins or Marie Callender's closed were in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and Washington. In California, twelve restaurants were closed - one in Los Angeles and the entire San Francisco Bay Area. In Florida, 9 restaurants were closed - four in Orlando. In Michigan, seven restaurants were closed - essentially all of Western Michigan,.[2][3][4][5][6][7] On June 13, 2011 Perkins & Marie Callender's Inc. filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. They plan to close about 65 restaurants in total and reduce 2,500 jobs. They listed assets of $290M and liabilities of $441M


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On April 4, 1964, inspired by a sandwich shop in Point Pleasant, NJ, Tony Conza, Peter DeCArlo and Angelo Baldassare opened up their own submarine shop at 110 Washington St in Hoboken. Looking for a unique name, they turned to a dictionary and settled on the word blimp. With sandwiches ranging from 35 to 95 cents, they rang up $295 in their first day. Years later it has grown into a national chain with 1600 US franchises, trailing only subway and Quiznos.

Hmmmm I love Subway. I love their variety, I love the food and I love the fact when I am done eating a sandwich 1 foot long, I don't feel bloated or fat. Subway has had a troubled history here in Kuwait and even in Lebanon. In Kuwait I think it was owned by The Sultan Center before and the place was really crap and it failed badly. Then it was reopened under new management and the place is doing great. In Lebanon I used to eat at Subway like every other day, then one day I noticed they started replacing the olives with this other weirder tasting one, and then I noticed the chicken stopped tasting or looking the same, and the place kept getting worst and worst till it shut down. Turned out the owner was replacing some of the ingredients with ones bought on the local market to save money and so Subway took the franchise off him.

The SUBWAY® chain consistently ranks at the top of Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500® rankings. Besides being number one for the Submarine Sandwich Category, the SUBWAY® chain has received the distinction as being the number one Franchise Opportunity for 15 of the past 21 years!