Blue Chip Gourmet Celebrates New Store Opening in Liberty Township, Ohio

July 21, 2009 - PRLog -- With the spirit that pioneered its first-in-the-nation White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie a quarter of a century ago, newly-branded “Blue Chip Gourmet,” formerly Blue Chip Cookies,  is in rebirth with a fully-expanded line of proprietary “Gourmet Eat, Sweets and Treats” in upscale café settings.  

President Donna Drury, who brings 20 years at Procter & Gamble to Blue Chip Gourmet, reports that extensive research and testing led the leadership team to position itself to meet a new market need: the fast casual gourmet with multiple product lines.  “We have what’s arguably the best cookie in the country and now we will extend that to other fresh gourmet-style products including coffee, espresso drinks, smoothies, breakfast items, sandwiches, wraps, gelato/sorbetto, and other desserts.  We are more than just cookies!  The new Liberty Township store reflects all our current concepts from product line to a cozy decor.”

The Liberty Township store will be the third Blue Chip Gourmet/Cookie store in the Greater Cincinnati area.  Currently in Ohio, along with the corporate store in Loveland, there is a store in the Kenwood Towne Center.   The Liberty Township store has been over a year in the planning and the grand opening and ribbon cutting will be July 30, 2009 at 10:30 AM.  The location is attractive as the area is growing.   It is next to medical facilities, businesses, The Children’s Hospital, and right at the entrance of Lakota East High School—one of the largest schools in the state of Ohio.  The address is 6752 Cincinnati/Dayton Road.  The store will have 1,700 square feet to accommodate comfortable sitting areas, large enough for networking groups, and has a warm décor of gourmet colors. Also, this store’s design includes a drive thru window, the first of its kind for Blue Chip Gourmet.

Teresa Kiphart, President of JT & JW Specialties and Franchise Owner, has spent the past 24 months researching the right opportunity and right location.  “We wanted to find a business that would be fun; community based, and offered an eclectic product mix.  We at JT & JW Specialties believed the product mix and business model offered by Blue Chip Gourmet was our ticket,” says Kiphart. “Our goal is to own multiple locations and also service other franchised locations in the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton market area. We expect to have 15 stores and will consider expanding to Indiana at the appropriate time.”

Blue Chip Gourmet features its famous Blue Chip Cookies and so much now.  Wayne Kiphart, Area Director/Franchise Owner says:  “The Blue Chip Gourmet product line offers eats, sweets and treats for everyone’s taste buds!  Families, businesses, networking groups—all will find Blue Chip Gourmet is warm and a great place to gather!  We also are finding that many businesses want to use us to cater for meetings and the big cookie cakes are a big hit!”

Teresa and Wayne Kiphart are the third Area of a total of thirty areas to be awarded over the next three years with each area holding 15-30+ stores. Other Area Directors were awarded in Pennsylvania and Kansas.  “We are in discussions with others who have interest in our offering and hope to be in all markets across the country in five years,” says Bob Heine, Executive Vice President of Franchising. “In the economic times we are experiencing, many people are looking to take more control of their future and franchising offers excellent opportunities.”

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Blue Chip Gourmet Inc. is the franchisor of Blue Chip Gourmet, Blue Chip Cookies and Blue Chip Express Stores. Currently operates 6 stores, in addition three new Blue Chip Gourmet stores currently under consideration in Kansas, Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as 3 area director agreements.

Blue Chip Gourmet is a trademarked product currently available as a franchise in the United States only. For additional information on Blue Chip Gourmet or on this release, contact Donna Drury-Heine at +1.513.697.6610 or info@BlueChipGourmet.com.