January 2008



July 2007
BAJA SOL RESTAURANTS GROUP ANNOUNCES CHICAGO EXPANSION
Signs Three Store Deal for Orland Park / South Chicago Area

(Inver Grove Heights, MN) – Baja Sol Restaurants Group today announced the signing of a three store deal with an area development group based in Chicago, Illinois. Baja Sol Restaurants Group currently operates a chain of fast casual fresh Mexican restaurants in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market known as Baja Sol Tortilla Grill and Baja Sol Grill & Cantina.

The Chicago area development group is led by Mark and Terry Wicks, both of whom have deep roots in the South Chicago area. They are looking to open their first store in the Orland Park area.

“This is another important step for our growing company,” said Tony Sutton, Chief Executive Officer. “Chicago is a tremendous market for expansion with a great deal of pent up demand for fresh Mexican food. We believe that Mark and Terry will be the first of many new franchisees for us in the Chicago area.”

“We are excited to bring the Baja Sol brand to Chicago,” said Mark Wicks. “We were impressed with the Baja Sol concept as well as with the experienced management team they have assembled. However, what really sealed the deal was how committed they are to our success.”

In its home market of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Baja Sol Tortilla Grills are well known for their free hot tortilla chip and salsa bar, which includes eight signature salsas.

“The free hot chips and salsa bar is one of the key brand differences between Baja Sol and its competitors,” said Terry Wicks. “This makes Baja Sol a much better value for consumers in the Chicago area when compared with others like Chipotle or Qdoba. Because the food is made fresh, people will really taste the difference.”

Baja Sol Restaurants Group is a Minnesota based-company that was acquired in October, 2006 by a partnership group committed to taking the concept nationwide. Earlier this year Baja Sol Restaurants Group signed a nine store deal in Columbus, Ohio.


January 2007
BAJA SOL RESTAURANTS GROUP ANNOUNCES OHIO EXPANSION
Area Development Group Inks Nine Store Deal for Columbus Area

(Inver Grove Heights, MN) – Baja Sol Restaurants Group today announced the signing of a nine store deal with an area development group based in Columbus, Ohio. Baja Sol Restaurants Group currently operates a chain of fast casual fresh Mexican restaurants in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market known as Baja Sol Tortilla Grill.

“This is an important milestone for our company,” said Tony Sutton, Chief Executive Officer. “The Columbus area is an excellent first market for our Baja Sol Tortilla Grills outside of Minnesota. It will help accelerate our plans to be a national competitor.”

The Columbus area development group is led by Chris Scott and Brian Cooper, both of whom bring a great deal of business savvy to the table and have deep roots in the Columbus area. Scott, a long time executive with Technifor, and Cooper, a small business owner, plan to open their first store sometime later this year.

“We are excited to bring the Baja Sol brand to Ohio,” said Scott. “This company has a high quality fresh Mexican concept and an experienced, innovative leadership team which creates a tremendous potential for growth. I am very confident that we will be successful in the Columbus market.”

In the Minneapolis/St. Paul market, Baja Sol Tortilla Grills are well known for their unlimited hot tortilla chip and salsa bar, which includes eight signature salsas.

“The unlimited hot chips and salsa bar is one of the key brand differences between Baja Sol and our competitors,” said Cooper. “This makes Baja Sol a much better value for consumers in the Columbus area when compared with other brands. Folks in Columbus will really taste the difference.”

Baja Sol Restaurants Group is a Minnesota based-company that was recently acquired in October, 2006 by a partnership group committed to taking the concept nationwide.

December 2006
Ex-TCF chief Cooper leads acquisition of Baja Sol eatery
Neal St. Anthony, Star Tribune

A partnership headed by Bill Cooper, the retired chief executive of TCF Financial Corp., has acquired decade-old Baja Sol, a local restaurant company that features a Mexican menu. Terms were not disclosed.

The seller is an ownership group headed by Mike Platt, a veteran Twin Cities restaurateur who founded Baja Sol.

The Cooper group, which includes Tony and Bridget Sutton, will be known as Baja Sol Restaurants Group. They signed on in 2004 as franchisees of two downtown restaurants.

"We saw the potential of the concept," Cooper said. "We know with the right plan and capitalization, we can take this popular local brand and turn it into a strong regional, even a national, competitor."

Baja Sol has eight corporate-controlled stores, including the downtown locations, and four franchised stores in the Twin Cities. Cooper said the company plans to focus on fresh, healthy food, expand its menu, offer several formats under the Baja name, add franchisees and increase advertising. The restaurants have combined annual revenue of about $7.5 million.

Sutton, a longtime political organizer, and his wife, a lobbyist and marketing consultant, met Cooper several years ago when Cooper was chairman of the Republican Party in Minnesota.