Post Falls-based Hatter Investments Inc., a franchisee that operates 14 Burger King restaurants in Spokane and Kootenai counties, has sold its franchises to Garliz Investments LLC, a Burger King franchisee from Wenatchee, Wash., that has moved its headquarters to Post Falls.


The transaction was completed May 1, says Ed Hatter, who owns Hatter Investments with his wife, Michaela, and their son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Teresa Hatter. He declines to disclose the sale price.


Garliz Investments, which is owned by Manuel Garcia, his wife, Esther, and their three sons, operates 10 Burger King restaurants in Central Washington and Idaho, and will run a total of two dozen of the fast-food outlets as a result of the transaction with Hatter Investments, Hatter says.


Hatter Investments continues to own the sites occupied by some of the Burger King restaurants it had operated and is leasing those facilities to Garliz, Hatter says. Some of the eateries are in leased properties owned by others. Hatter Investments also still owns its former headquarters office at 780 Thornton Street, in Post Falls, and is leasing that building to Garliz Investments.


Hatter Investments bought its first Burger King franchise in 1978, Ed Hatter says. The family-owned company sold its Burger King franchises in 1985, but repurchased two of them in 1990, then grew its holdings to 14, he says.


Hatter says Hatter Investments had been considering selling its Burger King franchises for several years as he and his wife neared retirement age and Scott Hatter, who was handling Hatter Investments daily operations, wanted to pursue other opportunities.