Così (restaurant) facts for kids
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| Industry | Fast casual restaurant |
|---|---|
| Founded | New York City, United States (1996) |
| Founder | Drew Harre |
| Headquarters |
Mountainside, New Jersey
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United States
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Number of locations
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20 (November 2020) |
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Area served
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New York Washington D.C. Virginia Pennsylvania Massachusetts Connecticut Illinois Indiana Ohio |
Così is an American restaurant chain known for its delicious homemade flatbread. It's a "fast-casual" restaurant, meaning it's quicker than a sit-down place but offers higher quality food than traditional fast food. The name "Così" comes from an opera called Così fan tutte. This opera was a favorite of the person who first started the restaurant.
As of November 2020, Così had 20 locations across several U.S. states. These states include New York, Washington D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The company faced financial challenges and had to reorganize its business in early 2020.
Contents
The Story of Così
How Così Started
The very first Così restaurant was opened in 1989. It was started by Drew Harre in Paris, France. A few years later, in 1996, the first Così in the United States opened. This new location was in New York and was opened by Shep and Jay Wainwright.
Growing the Business
In October 1999, Così joined forces with another company called Xando. This helped the business grow even more.
Così became a public company in 2002. This means that people could buy shares of the company. A year later, Kevin Armstrong became the chief executive officer (CEO). The CEO is like the main boss of the company.
Changes and Challenges
In June 2010, Così sold its restaurants in Washington D.C. These stores became franchises. A franchise is a business that pays to use another company's name and system. Capitol C Restaurants bought these franchises.
In March 2014, a very successful owner of several Così franchises, RJ Dourney, became the new CEO. Così also moved its main office to Boston, Massachusetts. However, in August 2016, RJ Dourney left his role as CEO.
That same year, Così faced more financial difficulties. The company had to reorganize its business and closed some of its stores. Because of these challenges, Così's shares were no longer traded on the NASDAQ stock market.
New Beginnings
In May 2017, Così came out of its financial reorganization. New owners, including MILFAM II L.P. and AB Value Partners, took over the company. However, on February 25, 2020, Così again had to reorganize its business. This happened after they closed several more locations.
