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Dog Haus opening in Minnesota, Ohio, DC

Dog Haus has signed two franchise deals to open in Minnesota, Ohio and Washington D.C

November 4, 2015

On the heels of it its fifth anniversary, Dog Haus has signed two franchise deals to open in Minnesota, Ohio and Washington D.C. The chain has plans for 125 locations from 25 different franchisees in eight states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Utah) and the nation's capital, with more in the works for the months to come, said Dog Haus Partner Quasim Riaz.

"It's incredible to see how far we've come in five years because of the enthusiasm people feel for the brand and the quality product we serve," said Riaz, who co-founded the concept with André Vener and Hagop Giragossian in 2010. "We wouldn't be where we are today without the passionate franchisees who have joined our team, and the fans who have been so supportive of what we do and where we are going."

The deals with new franchisees Todd Appelbaum and Paul Abramowitz (Minnesota and Ohio), and Faizan Khan (Washington DC), will bring nine locations to the Minneapolis area of Minnesota, six locations to the Columbus area of Ohio, and three Dog Haus locations to the DC area. Appelbaum, who formerly founded, owned and operated Cup O' Joe Coffee House and Mojoe Lounge in Columbus, and business partner and long-time entrepreneur Abramowitz, will be the first franchisees to open a Dog Haus in the Midwest region.

"When Paul and I were introduced to the Dog Haus brand, we were truly blown away by not just the quality of the food and its accessibility for a wide audience, but by the whole experience of dining at the restaurant. We visited every Dog Haus location, and each one had a certain palpable, dynamic energy — it's the type of place you want to be," said Appelbaum. "It was a no-brainer for us, particularly after meeting with the partners. They are clearly highly committed to excellence. We are excited to grow the brand with them."

The announcement of the two new deals follows the recent signing of four leases in Dallas as part of a 20-unit franchise deal with local Texas franchisee and veteran restaurateur Ron Ryan. With the new crop of confirmed locations, Dog Haus has 15 signed leases moving forward that will bring its current 10 locations up to 25 in the months to follow.