The Coeur d'Alene-based franchisor San Francisco-Style Sourdough Eatery Inc. plans to expand the sandwich-shop chain dramatically, with up to 100 new outlets within the next three years.

The founder, Robert Lenhart, says he plans to move to an office in Coeur d'Alene to support the brand's expansion. The target markets for the chain's growth include Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona, and Wisconsin, he says.

"Despite the economy, we're experiencing the strongest growth in our company's history," says Lenhart, who moved to Coeur d'Alene from the San Francisco Bay area in 1999 to open a San Francisco-Style Sourdough Eatery in Coeur d'Alene. He also once owned an eatery in Liberty Lake, but has since sold both those outlets to franchisees and now is focusing on growing the franchise chain.

"We will double the size of our franchise network this year, and our efforts in these target markets will be instrumental to that success," he says.

There currently are seven San Francisco-Style Sourdough Eatery outlets, including one in Spokane, at 2913 S. Southeast Blvd.; one in Liberty Lake, at 23801 E. Appleway; two in Coeur d'Alene, at 322 Sherman and 2392 Old Mill Loop; and one in Rathdrum, Idaho. The other franchise is in El Dorado Hills, Calif.

Two of the seven franchises are owned by one person, and the rest are owned independently, he says. The chain opened its first franchise in 2004.

The chain's eighth franchise is planned to open in Las Vegas early this fall, and the ninth and 10th are expected to be in San Diego and Orange County, Calif. He hopes to have up to 12 outlets opened by the end of this year.

Lenhart says he has signed area-development agreements with franchise developers in Las Vegas; San Diego; Orange County and San Francisco County, Calif.; and for the state of Wisconsin. He's looking at a similar agreement for the Salt Lake City area, he says.

A performance clause in those five agreements calls for the area developers to open 20 outlets each, which would give the franchise 100 new outlets, he says.

He says franchisees can open outlets with a low initial investment.

The eateries focus on selling sandwiches with fresh-baked sourdough bread, and low-fat meats, along with soups and salads, he says.