Shopping Center Business

DEC 2016

Shopping Center Business is the leading monthly business magazine for the retail real estate industry.

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RETAIL REVIEW 52 • SHOPPING CENTER BUSINESS • December 2016 crispy and keeps the food warm to the last bite. That's another element that really sets us apart from other brands." The restaurant is designed with bright, bold colors and lighting. "Bibigo stands out compared to its neighbors," says Mark Shin, brand director of Bibigo. "That's been intentional; we want to attract our consumers and make them feel invited." Each location also offers an open kitchen and an assembly line. "One of the key features in our restau- rants is the assembly line," says Shin. "It is almost theater-like, and highlights the freshness of the vegetables and the grilled protein. Paired with the open kitchen, Bibigo locations feel very fresh and transparent." Han notes that while the concept ap- peals to a broad audience, the company's primary focus is millennials. "We know that millennials want food that is fresh, innovative, flavorful and customizable," she says. "We provide just that; ethnic cuisine with bold flavors and we make it convenient and accessible. Our target is to go after health-conscious millennial diners and provide them with a fast casual dining experience where they can get their meals." The restaurant currently has four lo- cations open in the greater Los Angeles area, three of which are mall-based with one full-sized location open near the Uni- versity of Southern California campus in Los Angeles. For food court locations, Bibigo opts for an 800 to 1,000-square- foot space. The average size for an inline shopping center location ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet of space, and the company envisions future standalone iterations of the restaurant to occupy more than 2,000 square feet. "Our size varies by location, but we tend to look for spaces with a heavy density of daytime population where lunch is in high demand," says Nathan Yang, leader of business development at Bibigo. Each location is corporately owned, at current, but the company is looking to franchise in the near future. Bibigo has plans to bring a mixed ap- proach to expansion. "We've seen the con- cept do well within that captive channel of malls, so we understand that space," says Shin. "We're also looking at more stand- alone locations. Next year, we have one location in Los Angeles that we're look- ing at that's a great environment that has some business and residential to provide a different kind of experience. We're look- ing at both strategies." For the short term, the company looks to relegate its expansion to Southern Cali- fornia, with a continued focus on Los An- geles. "Next year, we plan to open another 12 locations in Southern California," says Yang. "We're looking at Los Angeles and San Diego, that's our primary market. We also plan to look into opening out of state." SCB "Our goal was to create the best build-your-own Korean concept delivering a fresh, healthy and unique experience," says Sarah Han, senior marketing manager of Bibigo. Bibigo offers a variety of fresh, seasonal vegetables and garnishes.

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