Fuddruckers began its return to the area last week by opening a two-level restaurant formerly occupied by Tom’s Watch Bar at 781 7th Street, NW in D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood.
The Houston-based burger chain announced its plans last year to reopen its locations in D.C., which closed in 2017, and at 819 Ellsworth Drive in Downtown Silver Spring, which closed in 2019.
According to WTOP, the Downtown Silver Spring location will reopen later this year. Construction at the restaurant is underway, and “Coming Soon” signage is displayed on the large digital billboards at the nearby Ellsworth Place mall.
D.C. entrepreneur and Howard University graduate Nicholas Perkins acquired the Fuddruckers chain in 2021 from parent company Luby’s through his Black Titan Holdings group for $18.5 million, making him the largest owner of Fuddruckers franchises.
Luby’s initiated the sale after shareholders approved the parent company’s dissolution and liquidation.
Perkins told the Washington Business Journal last year that he plans to expand Fuddruckers’ locations in the D.C. area and enter new markets, including Baltimore, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina, Atlanta, and San Antonio.
Each franchise requires a $400,000 capital investment and a $45,000 franchise fee.
“We’re excited to be purchasing Fuddruckers and look forward to working with Fuddruckers’ many dedicated, highly capable franchisees to further build this brand,” Perkins said in 2021. “As a Fuddruckers franchisee, I have a vested interest in ensuring that all Fuddruckers franchisees have the resources, infrastructure and operational and marketing support they need to maximize their return on investment.”
Before the reopening in D.C., the nearest open Fuddruckers location was in Ashburn, Virginia. Previous locations in Montgomery County included Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Downtown Silver Spring, where it is set to return.
Photo: “Fuddruckers” by TimothyJ is licensed under CC BY 2.0.