---
title: "FASTCASUAL: Mici Italian inks 30-unit deal with Smashburger franchisee"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/f3721379-c71c-44b2-a802-14b2c1eafebe
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/fastcasual-mici-italian-inks-30-unit-deal-with-smashburger-franchisee-2718700
category: "Fast casual"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Fast casual"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2022-05-13T13:08:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:11:57.105Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/89dfa97bdeef2c7e1d057ad126251eae5678.jpg
---

# FASTCASUAL: Mici Italian inks 30-unit deal with Smashburger franchisee

**TL;DR:** Lucas Farnham, owner of Black Bear Diner and Smashburger locations, has signed a 30-unit deal with Mici Italian, a Denver-based fast casual restaurant, to develop locations in Phoenix, Arizona. Farnham will own all franchise rights for the Phoenix market.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2022-05-13. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/fastcasual-mici-italian-inks-30-unit-deal-with-smashburger-franchisee-2718700).*

## Story

In a recent article with Fast Casual, Lucas Famham, owner of several Black Bear Diner and Smashburger locations, discussed his newest signing of a 30-unit deal with Mici Italian, a Denver-based fast casual restaurant, in Phoenix, Arizona.

"I'm thrilled to not only be one of the first franchisees for the brand but to own all the franchise rights for the Phoenix market," Farnham said. “It's a phenomenal restaurant town that will embrace this concept and help it grow.”

Farnham has signed three leases in Gilbert, Queen Creek and Verrado and is scouting the area for future locations. Construction has begun on the Gilbert space, which should open its doors this spring, and construction on the Queen Creek location will start in May.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- unit expansion (topic)
- franchise agreement (topic)
- Phoenix (location)
- multi-unit deal (topic)
- Smashburger (company)
- Black Bear Diner (company)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/fastcasual-mici-italian-inks-30-unit-deal-with-smashburger-franchisee-2718700). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/f3721379-c71c-44b2-a802-14b2c1eafebe).