Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
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The company's name is something of a misnomer, though: The chain could just as well have been called Os- trich Jerky Outlet, or Kangaroo Jerky Outlet, or even Alligator Jerky Out- let, because those meats are available there, as are various types of fish jerky. Much of the product is sold in bar- rels, while other jerky meats are kept in freezers, according to Steve Lyons, manager of the store in Dundee, Mich. There are 26 Beef Jerky Outlet stores, mainly east of the Mississippi, at strip, outlet and lifestyle centers, as well as hybrid locations attached to convenience stores. The chain was founded in 2010 by Scott Parker, who is president and CFO and owns four of the stores himself, in Tennessee, and Paul Lyons, the company's CEO and vice president, who owns the store hE OrDinAry, STAnDArD-iSSuE yen for beef jerky or turkey jerky is easily satisfied at virtually any convenience store. A "gourmet" taste for the stuff, however, is an- other matter. As it happens, there are retailers out there that spe- cialize in selling jerky products, and in a wide range of flavors, too. Seymour, Tenn.–based franchise chain Beef Jerky Outlet is among these, offering nearly 30 flavors in all. his son, Steve, manages. Franchisees operate the rest of the units. Parker and Paul Lyons say they anticipate having a total of about 35 stores in op- eration by year-end, all of them fran- chised, and they have been in talks with large retail rEiTs such as Simon and Tanger Factory Outlet Centers. Moreover, they say they hope to se- cure agreements for an additional 75 to 100 franchised stores, also by the time this year is up. u n d e r s t a n d a b l y , m a n a g e m e n t likes to locate near retailers such as Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops, any- where there are fishermen, hunters, hikers, backpackers and other lovers of the outdoors — and of jerky prod- ucts. The Dundee store is the chain's largest, at 3,000 square feet, though management's ideal site typically T Gourmet snack beef jerky outlet takes a convenience-store staple to new levels By Ian Ritter r e T a i l i n g T o d a y 34 S C T / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 4