News: Wok & Roll to franchise operations

Fort Collins’ only Japanese fast-food restaurant is expanding to Boulder and readying plans to begin franchise operations during 1997.

“We have a very healthy style of food,´ said Steve King, managing partner of Wok & Roll Teriyaki. “We’re doing phenomenal. We have 600 to 700people in here a day.”

The current location, 2801 S. College Ave., has been open since February 1995. Now, King and his partners have signed a lease for the former Jack in the Box location at 28th Street and Valmont Road in Boulder.

“We’ll have virtually no oil or grease in the entire store in Boulder,” he said, noting that it will fit well with the healthy lifestyle for which Bouldercitizens are renowned.

The new location should be operational by September. Franchising will come next.

“Our plan is to offer this as a franchise next year,” King said. “I’ve been approached by dozens and dozens of people, even from out of state. We’realready working on the manuals and recipe books.”

King said his company will scout locations in Loveland and Longmont, as well as progressive communities such as Austin, Portland and Seattle. In addition to the Fort Collins restaurant, Wok & Roll also is in nine Poudre Valley School District schools as part of the lunch program.