Fresh Choice Chain Buys Zoopa As Part Of Seattle Expansion

The Seattle area's Zoopa restaurants may be expanding, but they'll do it under new ownership.

Restaurants Unlimited today said it will sell its three Zoopa restaurants - in Bellevue, Tacoma and Tukwila - to Fresh Choice, a 48-restaurant chain based in Santa Clara, Calif.

Terms were not disclosed. Various closing conditions are necessary to complete the deal.

Restaurants Unlimited will retain its Mountlake Terrace site.

That Fresh Choice, owner of restaurants at Northgate and Bellevue, would choose to expand here is not surprising.

Fresh Choice Chairman Charles Lynch has been a director of the Seattle-based Nordstrom specialty-retail chain for 12 years. Recently hired President Jeff Jefferson ran Bellevue-based Skipper's Restaurants in the late 1980s.

Fresh Choice said it plans to retain Zoopa's work force of 180 full- and part-time employees.

It also said that while it will keep its two stores here under the Fresh Choice name initially, it likely will combine all five stores under one name, most likely Zoopa, down the road.

Fresh Choice operates 43 restaurants in California, three in Texas and two Seattle-area operations. They offer a selection of freshly prepared traditional and specialty salads, hot soups, hot pasta dishes, bakery goods and desserts in a self-service format.

Restaurants Unlimited said it decided to sell Zoopa to concentrate on expanding its full-service line. The company operates 26 restaurants, including Cutters Bayhouse, Palomino and the Zoopa outlets. It plans to open restaurants in at least eight markets in the next two years. Founded in 1969, the company runs restaurants in seven states ranging from Pennsylvania to Hawaii.

Founder Rich Komen said the company's chief executive duties will be shared with seven others, and the company's Lake Union headquarters will be expanded by 4,000 square feet.