Local restauranteur brings two more eateries to Tucson

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) – Sam Fox is a native of Tucson whose restaurant brand has exploded. Fox Restaurant Concepts is headquartered in Phoenix, but the Sabino High graduate is now planning to open two more restaurants in the Old Pueblo.

“There’s just this great sense of pride,” said Fox, describing his emotions after announcing this week that he is bringing two more of his restaurants back to his hometown. He now oversees 61 restaurants across the country and several more are due to open soon.

Not bad for a guy who started working at his family restaurant, The Hungry Fox.

“I started in Tucson. The Tucson people have supported all of our businesses for ages,” recalled Fox. “My dad had restaurants in Tucson, so when I do something new in Tucson, it’s obviously really exciting.”

Fox already manages Zinburger, Wildflower, Blanco, and Culinary Dropout in Tucson. Now he’s adding a chicken and pizza joint Doughbird and the hugely popular Flower Child to Tucson Market.

Fox restaurant concepts

“It is probably our most important inquiry that we get here in Phoenix as to when you are bringing Blumenkind to Tucson,” said Fox.

Fox describes Blumenkind as quick and healthy food. He says it’s his favorite dish and he eats there three times a week. You can afford it if you’re a founder and CEO.

The restaurants no longer belong to him. Fox sold them to the Cheesecake Factory for over $ 300 million in 2019. But he still manages them and develops the concepts for other restaurants.

“Our partners at Cheesecake did exactly what they announced,” said Fox. “You have empowered us to grow, run the business as we have done for years, and keep building our teams and building great restaurants.”

Cheesecake Factory is the big winner. Documents filed by this parent company show that Fox Restaurant Concepts had sales of $ 68 million for the third quarter of this year. That is 89% more than in the same quarter of 2020.

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“I think our sales have been great. It was apparently reported about it. In the midst of difficult times, people want to know that they are getting value and quality and are going to a name and a brand that they can trust, ”said Fuchs.

Fox says they face the same supply chain and workforce issues as most companies. The challenge is to always be one step ahead. He is aware of the impending increase in the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour in Tucson, but that hasn’t stopped him from making plans to build the two new restaurants in Campbell Plaza.

“We love to be in Tucson. We love to support the people who work for us,” said Fox. “We want people to be able to make a living and that’s fine with us.”

Fox says he is now finalizing the building permits and expects the new restaurants to open in 14-16 months.

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