Washington Daily News: Franchises Eye Washington, NC for Expansion

According to the Washington Daily News, brands such as Philly Pretzel Factory see the market as attractive for development due to the local demographic.

"You've got a great combination, and it seemingly looks like it's young families with kids and retirees that are moving down from the north because of the standard of living you've created," Philly Pretzel Factory Chief Development Officer Tom Monaghan told the Washington Daily News.

Brands such as Your Pie see the market as attractive for development due to the local demographic.

"Typically we see white collar workers for lunch who want a good lunch that they can get in and out of quickly, but we also want to be accessible to families and folks who typically come see us for dinner," Your Pie VP of Development Ken Caldwell told the Washington Daily News. "We target markets across the country that we feel like would be good places for our brand."

Philly Pretzel Factory often sees smaller markets in close proximity to slightly larger ones, such as Washington, as ideal for growth - specifically for the in-store model partnership with Wal-Mart.