It appears Calgary-based eatery Original Joe's is destined for the Tuscan sun. In Saanich, at least.
According to a spokesperson for the casual-dining chain, Original Joe's will be opening a location at Tuscany Village on McKenzie Avenue near Shelbourne Street sometime in the first quarter of 2013. Details of the deal were not available.
And it's not clear where the restaurant will be located, although there have been rumours it will be replacing the Applebee's that opened at Tuscany Village in the summer of 2009.
Attempts to contact Chad Huff, who holds the Applebee's development rights to the Island, were unsuccessful Thursday. Tuscany Village owners First Capital Realty could not be reached to discuss possible tenant changes or expansion before press time.
The Original Joe's addition - the chain has been in aggressive expansion mode, having added 19 new restaurants in the last two years - would be the second foray into the Greater Victoria market for the chain, which opened a restaurant in Langford in the fall of 2010. Original Joe's has 14 locations in B.C. and 55 in Western Canada. Of the 35 in Alberta, 11 are in Calgary.
Applebee's, the world's largest casual-dining chain with 1,900 outlets, has three locations in B.C. - Saanich, Courtenay and Port Coquitlam. The Applebee's brand is owned by Dine Equity, the parent company of International House of Pancakes, or IHOP, which franchises and operates 3,400 restaurants in the U.S.
