Green Bay - 26 May, 2005 -

Boston's the Gourmet Pizza has entered the Green Bay area with the opening of its first location on May 17, at 2615 S. Oneida St., located in the Shoppes on Oneida retail center near Bay Park Mall and one mile from Lambeau Field. Led by franchisee Rick Horstman of Advantage Control Company, LLC, the Green Bay location is the second Boston's restaurant opened by the company, with plans to open a third location in Appleton. Fusing a family friendly casual dining restaurant with a sports bar, Boston's offers a complete menu with more than 25 gourmet pizzas and 13 gourmet pastas, abundant lunch specials, gourmet salads and sports bar favorites, such as chicken wings and ribs. Advantage hired 120 employees for the 300-seat Green Bay restaurant, which reflects a contemporary dinner house theme with soft, yet bold colors, stone accents and intimate seating throughout the family friendly restaurant and adjacent sports bar area. "Boston's has a lively, upbeat atmosphere, more than 100 signature menu items, one of the largest children's menu in town and excellent service," says Horstman, franchisee of the Green Bay Boston's restaurant. "Plus, we will continue serving our full menu until closing time, which makes our restaurant and bar a perfect location for late-night patrons. We're unique in the marketplace in that we truly offer something for everyone." According to Horstman, the Green Bay restaurant features several unique traits that set it apart from other local dining venues, including one of the largest outdoor patios and full-service sports bars in the area featuring five flat-screen televisions and five plasma TVs with satellite dishes to showcase sports and special events, including games by the Green Bay Packers, and collegiate teams from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay and Saint Norbert College. The glass-enclosed outside patio is complete with heaters making it available for al fresco dining three seasons a year. To celebrate its entry in to the local market, Boston's hosted a private grand opening party for local dignitaries and VIPs on Saturday, May 14, which benefited Pink Ribbon, a local-breast cancer awareness organization. Tapped to run the new restaurant are Green Bay native Frank Guarascio, who will serve as General Manager, and Chef Adam Sloda. For the past 10 years, Guarascio served as GM at Thornberry Creek Country Club in Green Bay. Sloda has worked as a chef in the Green Bay area for the past 12 years. Horstman follows in the footsteps of his family, which has been in the restaurant industry for 30 years. As part of his own 20 years of food service and franchise experience, Horstman founded Advantage, a successful beverage management services business that serves the hospitality industry. In developing the Boston's business, two of his children will serve in management roles. BOSTON'S THE GOURMET PIZZA PROFILE WHAT: National restaurant chain that fuses casual dining family concept with sports bar and features more than 100 items, including soups, salads and gourmet sandwiches, along with sports bar favorites, such as chicken wings and ribs. U.S. HEADQUARTERS: Dallas, Texas WISCONSIN PLANS: Newest Wisconsin location opened on Tuesday, May 17, 2005, at 2615 S. Oneida St., Green Bay, located in the Shoppes on Oneida retail center. Store hours are 11 a.m. 1 a.m. seven days a week. (920-592-9696) Currently, there are two existing Wisconsin Boston's The Gourmet Pizza restaurants in Eau Claire and Middleton. JOBS: 120 full-time and part-time staff RESTAURANT LAYOUT: Freestanding, 7,900 square-foot location that features a combined 300 seats throughout the dining room, sports bar and extensive, outdoor patio. The Green Bay location boasts the company's newest prototype, which features: *Stone accents to the exterior fa ade and interior entrance. *Intimate, dropped lighting over each dining room table to create a soft dinner house effect. *High wood-weave screens located between booth areas to convey privacy. *Soft color tones. *Contemporary décor and open floor plan. LOCAL FRANCHISE OPERATORS: Rick Horstman, owner of Advantage Control Company, LLC, DBA as Boston's The Gourmet Pizza. LOOKING AHEAD: In addition to Green Bay, in 2005, Horstman will open a Boston's location in Appleton, Wisconsin. He also owns the Middleton franchise. Since its U.S. debut in Tempe, Ariz., in 1998, Boston's has opened a total of 28 restaurants. In 2005, the company projects doubling in size and plans to have 100 total stores in 2006. BACKGROUND: Based in Dallas, Texas, Boston's the Gourmet Pizza grows primarily through franchise agreements and currently has plans to develop more than 80 new restaurants, including locations in Arizona, Florida, California, Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, California, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State and Wisconsin. Boston Pizza Restaurants, LP is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and can be found online at www.bostonsgourmet.com.

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