Bruchis Inc., a Spokane-based chain of corporately owned and franchised Bruchis sandwich shops, is expected to be sold sometime in the next 10 months to a newly formed Seattle company that plans to market the chains restaurant concept nationally.


The new company, Bruchis Franchises International Inc., was formed recently by two Bruchis franchisees, Bruchis Inc. founder and President Bruce Greene, and a Seattle businessman. It has launched a $1 million public offering and plans to use the proceeds of that offering to buy Bruchis Inc. and expand it greatly.


The expansion plans include opening two corporate-owned Bruchis restaurants in Seattle and developing a headquarters building there, says Mike Scott, franchisee of a Bruchis restaurant in Kennewick and a partner in Bruchis Franchises International.


Scott says he and franchisee Doug Young, who operates a Bruchis restaurant in Yakima and is also part of the new venture, plan to relocate to Seattle. Greene, who founded Bruchis Inc. in 1990, will be a silent partner in the new company. Seattle businessman Scott Miller, the other partner in the new venture, is a former business colleague of Scott and Young and will be active in the operations of the new company, Scott says.


Ultimately, the company hopes within the next five years to operate 1,000 Bruchis restaurants throughout the country. There currently are a total of 16 Bruchis restaurants, two of which are corporately owned, in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Arizona. Seven of the outlets are in Spokane, and another location here is set to open at the corner of Market and Euclid this month.


Bruchis was founded in Spokane, and the companys first two franchised stores opened in Kennewick and Yakima in 1994. The fast-food restaurants are known for their Philly-style cheesesteak sandwiches, but also serve salads and cold submarine sandwiches.


Greene says he has decided to sell Bruchis Inc. so that he can scale back his involvement in the business. Im finally going to take a break, he says.


Bruchis Franchises Internationals stock sale is being done through whats called a small corporate offering registration, or a SCOR. In a SCOR, only Washington residents are allowed to buy the stock, which is issued directly to the buyers, and the money that is raised must be spent in Washington state, Scott says. Securities sold in a SCOR are freely transferable in the public market after the offering is completed, says the Securities Division of the Washington state Department of Financial Institutions.


The company has up to 12 months to raise the $1 million, which means that it has until next July. If Bruchis Franchises International is able to raise the money and buy the Bruchis chain, Scott says the company plans to step up marketing and dress up the look of the restaurants.


We want to take it out of the mom-and-pop phase, he says.


The new look will be debuted at the two flagship restaurants planned in Seattle, Scott says.