The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

MARCO’S Pizza (Bahamas) expects to create 55 to 60 jobs when it opens its fourth New Providence location in three weeks, the franchise’s operator revealing that two additional pizza restaurants are likely to be launched in 2015.

Terry Tsavoussis, vice-president of Aetos Holdings, the company he heads with his brother Chris, which operates the Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza franchise in the Bahamas, told Tribune Business that a fourth pizza restaurant is slated to open at Cable Beach in mid-August.

“We’re looking at probably having that Marco open the middle of August, which is about three weeks from now. It may not look that way but a lot is going to happen in the coming two weeks or so on the exterior.”

Mr Tsavoussis added: “Marco’s is coming along beautifully. It’s going to be a very different Marco’s. The dining room will not be your typical dining room. This is a new design we’re kind of testing. It’s very upscale will have a lot of booths like much nicer decor. It’s just designed a lot better than the original, the others are beautiful stores but this one is going to have a much more Tuscany, Italian flavour to it. That’s all coming together right now.”

“We’re trying to open more Marco’s, we’re not stopping with this one. It’s going to be probably another two that we will open during next year. We have identified a few other places I cant really mention right now but there is definitely room for more of these pizza stores.”

Mr Tsavoussis said that 55 to 60 jobs would be created with the opening of the fourth Marco’s outlet, noting that a significant number of construction jobs had been created during the building of the Shoppes of Cable Beach plaza.

“That has created a lot of jobs. That has been ongoing now for about seven months,” said Mr Tsavoussis. “We own that shopping centre, my brother and I own that through a separate entity. Currently the one we have now will house on the bottom floor the Marco’s Pizza, a BTC franchisee and Liquid Courage, which is an upscale liquor store.

“Upstairs is office space but we have also rented it to a hair salon and spa. We have got that pretty much half rented on the top. Phase two, which is an identical two storey building, is going to start sometime in January. Already we have leased two of the locations in phase two and they are fully aware that they will take possession sometime probably in June of next year,” said Mr Tsavoussis.

The company opened its first Marco’s Pizza Freeport location last August creating 55 jobs. “Freeport has been doing very well. It’s exceeding the numbers that we had projected so we are extremely pleased. Obviously there’s a little more competition in Freeport with Pizza Hut and Dominos in that arena but we are the leader,” said Mr Tsavoussis.

Marco’s Pizza (Bahamas) currently employs approximately 275 people.