Creator of the “Inspired Burrito” chooses Boston-based A/E/I firm for design-build of its growing fast casual eateries
Cubellis, a national architectural, engineering, and interior design firm, with offices nationwide and headquartered in Boston, is pleased to announce that the firm has been selected by management at Boloco to direct the architectural and engineering tasks for fast casual restaurants planned expansion. In the 12 years since Boloco first served up its “inspired burritos” to Boston patrons, the company has earned numerous awards and added 15 more stores in New England. Future growth plans are projected to include the addition of 3 to 6 new stores per year.
Cubellis fills a key role with the growing restaurant business. According to Michael Harder, Chief Operating Officer for Boloco, it was time for the company to partner with a professional firm that could help them build efficiently in terms of sustainability and the bottom line and establish brand consistency from one store to the next.
“We’re looking at long-term growth so we want a long-term partner. Cubellis is part of our team and our future,” explains Harder. He says that the firm’s close proximity to his own headquarters was a factor in the decision, but the major benefit was the company’s broad knowledge of restaurant design and engineering.
From Cubellis’ perspective, the new relationship with Boloco represents an exciting opportunity for applying its expertise on an ongoing basis. Project Manager Scott Windle says, “Getting involved with a company like Boloco that is firmly established and on an upward growth plan is a great match for us. We can use our knowledge to help them create a plan for sustainable development that will incorporate both cost and energy savings.”
The first three renovations (in downtown Boston and Concord, NH) under Cubellis’ direction range from 1,400 to 2,600 square feet. According to Kathleen Landry, one of the Boston-based Project Managers for Cubellis’ Restaurant Practice Group (RPG), one of the biggest challenges that Boloco has faced is the issue of renovating a restaurant space in an older downtown building that also houses residential apartments and office space. She relies on the firm’s mechanical engineering expertise to develop solutions that deliver the best results.
A pairing of environmentally-conscious businesses
Cubellis’ commitment to sustainability is aligned with Boloco’s core values. The challenge of retrofitting an older building, like those in the downtown urban neighborhoods, requires extensive knowledge of more energy-efficient, “green” alternatives for heat, electricity, and ventilation. The Cubellis team’s experience in meeting the stringent LEED certification requirements will guide the Boloco projects toward achieving those high standards. The firm’s Boston headquarters will soon be recognized as one of the few architectural offices in the city to earn a Gold rating for LEED’s Commercial Interiors classification.
“The breadth of Cubellis’ knowledge of not only basic architectural services but also the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components presents a key advantage for us,” explains John Pepper, one of Boloco’s founders and the Chief Executive Officer. “We have always looked for ways to conserve energy and be a good global citizen, but the team at Cubellis has been aggressively looking for ways to expand on those efforts, diligently exploring new ideas to conserve resources.”
“When we need an architect, we’re hiring someone who can see beyond the plans. We look for someone who has the vision to anticipate problems and present solutions in advance. Most importantly, we need someone who can see Boloco through the eyes of our guests and our teams since they are ultimately the users of the final product. That’s what we are getting with Cubellis,” concludes Pepper.
About Boloco
Boloco, short for “Boston Local Company”, is a family of 16 New England-based fast-casual restaurants specializing in traditional and inspired burritos & bowls, fresh salads, refreshing smoothies and delectable chocolate chip cookies. Since 1997, when founders Gregg Harris, Jason Hutchinson, Adam Liebman, and John Pepper opened the first location on Mass Ave in Boston, bold and inspiring flavors, people, and practices have made Boloco a popular and unique experience for thousands. As importantly, Boloco is uniquely a human experience, one that never claims to be perfect. Years ago, Boloco made a choice to be different; to push the boundaries of what a restaurant can be. Inspired by their customers, Boloco has always tried new things. Some of them worked, some of them didn’t. These successes, and failures, have made Boloco who they are today. The journey continues.
Boloco has won numerous awards, including 2008 Boston Globe Blind Taste Test (Burritos), Boston Magazine’s “Best of Boston” (1998, 2006, 2007, 2008), Barstool Sport’s “Best Fast Food” (multiple years) and the Improper Bostonian’s “Boston’s Best” (1998, 1999, 2000 and 2006). Boloco’s owner-operated restaurants are currently located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. For more information, please visit: www.boloco.com
About Cubellis
Cubellis is an integrated, multidisciplinary design firm offering architectural, interior design, and engineering services to a diverse base of national and international clients. The firm's practice area expertise includes retail & mixed-use, workplace solutions, residential, academic, hospitality, and government/municipal. Cubellis is a team of over 300 professionals, with offices in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Boston, MA; Rocky Hill, CT; Englewood Cliffs; NJ Philadelphia and Wayne, PA; Tysons Corner, VA; Chicago, IL; Orange County, CA; Baltimore, MD; Dallas, TX; New York, NY; and Dubai, UAE. For more information, please visit: www.cubellis.com or www.cubellisblog.com
Contacts:
Cubellis
Meghan Welborn, 617-603-2146
Public Relations Manager
mwelborn@cubellis.com
