Brackman Bros. Bagel Bakeries, the Salt Lake City-based specialty bakery known for its wide array of flavored bagels and its innovative advertising, will change its name to Einstein Bros. Bagels effective Nov. 1.
Launched in 1989, Brackman's now has 10 stores along the Wasatch Front but 53 throughout its market area, which was greatly expanded following a recent merger that was the impetus for the name change.Dave Gladstone, marketing director for Brackman's, said the company has merged with three other bagel operations, including Offerdahl's, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Bagel & Bagel in Kansas City, Mo.; and Baltimore Bagel in San Diego, Calif.
"Basically, we combined all of our resources to create a new bagel concept, which is Einstein Bros. Bagels, and that's how we will all operate," said Gladstone.
He said the corporate headquarters of the merged companies will be based in Golden, Colo.
Despite innovative ad campaigns to make the Brackman Bros. name well-known in Utah, Gladstone said he expects the new name to become equally identifiable to the public.
"We plan on maintaining our presence in the community by staying heavily involved in such projects as donating product and services to charities. We also will maintain our presence in the media. Our busboards will still be there, as will our other advertising."
The Brackman Bros. Bagel Bakery name was thought up by the owners who liked its alliteration and thought it "fit their culture and processes," said Gladstone. But following the merger, it was decided "Einstein Bros. was better."
He stressed that the company and its owners have no connection to the person or estate of the late renowned physicist Albert Einstein.
There is already an Einstein Bros. Bagels in Ogden, at 1081 West Riverdale Rd., that the company opened as a test store in June and which is now a model for all of the new stores the company plans to open. The first Salt Lake store to undergo the name change, scheduled for Nov. 1, will be the Brackman's at 1520 S. 1500 East.
The changeover will take time, said Gladstone. "For a while, some stores will be Einstein's and some Brackman's."
All of the 53 stores throughout the new organization are company owned. Gladstone said the company does not franchise at this time.
Einstein's is planning an ambitious expansion of the new company, including new stores in Orem, Layton, Bountiful and possibly Logan, as well as additional sites in the Salt Lake Valley.
But the main thrust will be into markets it currently doesn't serve, said Gladstone, including Chicago; Detroit; Milwaukee; Madison, Wis.; Baltimore; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; St. Louis; Albuquerque; Las Vegas; Tucson; Phoenix; Tampa, Fla.; Orlando and Denver.
"We are looking to have 350 stores by the end of 1996," he said.
Gladstone concedes that Einstein's will go up against formidable competition in large eastern cities where bagels have long been considered a staple food. No problem, he said. "Competition is good for development."