Auntie Anne's
Encyclopedia
Auntie Anne's, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...

, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 chain of pretzel bakeries founded by Anne F. Beiler
Anne F. Beiler
Anne F. Beiler is the founder of Auntie Anne's pretzels. Beiler was born into an Old Order Amish family in Lancaster County, PA in 1949. When she was three years of age, her parents became members of the Amish Mennonite church. Growing up in a family of eight children, Anne was the baker and bread...

 and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages. Their pretzel products are also available in the form of an At-Home Baking Kit.

Auntie Anne's has more than 300 franchisees with more than 1,100 locations in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and 23 countries.

History

The chain started as a market stand in the Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Downingtown is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, west of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,891. Downingtown was settled by English and European colonists in the early 18th century and has a number of historic buildings and structures.-History:The town was...

 Farmer's Market. In the same year, Auntie Anne's expanded to eight locations in the state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, after the first bakery opened in Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...

. The first mall location was the Park City Center
Park City Center
Park City Center is a large shopping mall located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and is the largest enclosed shopping center in South Central Pennsylvania. It is situated at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and Harrisburg Pike. The shape of the mall resembles a snowflake, with its stores occupying...

 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...

, in 1989. By 1990, the bakery chain spread to nine other states with 50 locations. In 1992, the first Auntie Anne's airport location opened at the Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...

. The year 1995 brought its first train station store at Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...

 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. By 2005, there were 887 bakeries in 45 states and twelve countries.

From 1999 through 2009, Auntie Anne’s and its franchisees partnered to donate more than $4.5 million to local children’s hospitals across the country through the Children's Miracle Network
Children's Miracle Network
The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1982 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in...

.

In October 2006, it was announced that the Auntie Anne's corporate headquarters would be relocated from the town of Gap
Gap, Pennsylvania
Gap is a census-designated place and town in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with a zip code of 17527. The population was 1,611 at the 2000 census...

 to downtown Lancaster. The former site of the Lancaster Post Office was purchased for $7 million by Auntie Anne's, Inc. The building itself was constructed in 1927, and stands at three stories tall on about 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²). The building maintains the original 1920s features such as brass doors, high ceilings, and skylights.

In November 2010, FOCUS Brands
FOCUS Brands
Focus Brands is an affiliate of the Atlanta-based private equity firm, Roark Capital Group, that owns the Schlotzsky's, Carvel, Cinnabon, and Moe's Southwest Grill brands. It purchased Cinnabon from AFC Enterprises in 2004 and Schlotzsky's from Bobby Cox Companies in 2006...

acquired Auntie Anne's.

Executives

  • William P. Dunn, Jr. - President and Chief Operating Officer
  • Jim Moss - Chief Financial Officer
  • Beth Monaghan - Chief Administrative Officer

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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