Jeff's Bagel Run cooks up major expansion with new leader

Welcome to Orlando Business Journal's weekly LinkedIn newsletter. I'm Associate Managing Editor Richard Bilbao, rounding up Orlando business news to keep you in the know when time is short.

Jeff’s Bagel Run has named one of its major investors, uBreakiFix founder Justin Wetherill, as its new president — and now is ready for a nationwide expansion, he told Orlando Business Journal.

The company’s franchise program officially launched March 14. Co-founders Jeff and Danielle Perera are staying on as vice presidents.

“This has been the goal from the start when I got involved last year,” Wetherill said about franchising the bagel brand launched by husband-and-wife duo Jeff and Danielle Perera three years ago. “There are a lot of people familiar with the brand who have been looking for a way to get involved, and we're excited to finally have a program to enable them to do that.”?

Jeff Perera noted that the bagel brand has been a team effort from the start, and that Wetherill's expertise on the franchising front is crucial. "We look forward to working side by side with him and the broader team to bring our hot bagels beyond Central Florida."

See the full story here.

And now, on to other big business deals, transactions and activity headlines from the week.

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Real estate news of the week

• Closing the loop: How completion of Orlando's beltway drives real estate: Experts weigh in on the significance of the highway loop around town for real estate growth so far — and where it will drive development next.
• Local apartment builder's merger with national firm to boost war chest: The seed for the developer merger was planted when two trusted advisors told a Utah-based executive he needed to invest in Central Florida.
• New spot for luxury cars headed to Lake Nona: A new automotive dealership is slated for southeast Orlando.

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Orlando news bites

Don't miss these other top stories:

• Check out Orlando's 100 highest-paying jobs: Top occupations in Orlando, ranked by median annual income, and the general wage trends for the area.
• Top Disney theme park executive announces departure: See who may take over for the high-profile theme park team.
• Walgreens to lay off hundreds of Orlando workers, close distribution center: Here's what is next for the company.

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Restaurant news & notes

Check out the latest news on popular local places to eat and drink:

• Packing District food hall reveals vendors, when it will open (PHOTOS): Here's what to know about the first food vendors revealed for the project — and how soon they'll be serving hungry customers.
• Park Avenue restaurant simplifies business lunch with prix-fixe menu: Everything about Ava MediterrAegean — from the interior surfaces to the furniture and art to Chef Michael Michaelidis’s menu offerings — reinforces the restaurant’s philosophy of escapism.
• Winter Park open-air restaurant in the works: How the co-founders discovered the space, and the work they've done so far to get it ready to open.

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Nominations & Events

Things to put on your busy calendar:

• Nominate for the 2024 Best Places to Work. Deadline: April 5.
• Nominate for the 2024 Inno Under 25 awards, a recognition of the top founders, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders under age 25. Deadline: May 23.
• Nominate for the 2024 Veterans of Influence, recognizing military veterans who have made a significant achievement in their careers in the past year, have a strong record of innovation or outstanding performance in their work, and are involved in our community. Deadline: May 30.
• Nominate for the 2024 Most Influential Leaders, which will recognize outstanding Central Florida executives who use their cachet to better the region. Deadline: June 20.

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That's all for this week's top headlines, and thanks for supporting OBJ.This weekly round-up of Orlando business news was compiled by Richard Bilbao, associate managing editor. Questions? Comments? Concerns? News tips? Send them to [email protected].