Salem, Keizer on top of expansion list for Burgerville

Capi Lynn, Salem Statesman Journal
Burgerville plans to open up to 10 locations in the Pacific Northwest in the next year under a new partnership. The closest Burgervilles to Salem and Keizer, which were the only cities singled out in a press release about the expansion, are in Albany and Monmouth, pictured.
Burgerville plans to open up to 10 locations in the Pacific Northwest in the next year under a new partnership. The closest Burgervilles to Salem and Keizer, which were the only cities singled out in a press release about the expansion, are in Albany and Monmouth, pictured.

A new partnership for Burgerville could spur expansion to the Salem area sooner than expected.

The Mears family, founders of the brand, will remain shareholders while a group of local investors takes an ownership stake, according to a news release. The partnership includes Ed Casey, CEO of Burgerville, and Joth Ricci, former CEO of Dutch Bros.

“Burgerville’s mission has always been to serve our local communities with love, and in recent years, our strategy has been to prepare to grow across the Northwest,” Casey said in the release. “To do that, the Mears family and I wanted to team up with local partners who share our values and vision for Burgerville — and that’s just what we found.”

Burgerville operates 39 restaurants throughout Oregon and Washington, with a 40th slated to open this year in Wilsonville and six to 10 more in the next year throughout the Pacific Northwest.

The only two cities singled out to get restaurants in the press release were Salem and Keizer.

Salem had a Burgerville in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. The location on Market Street NE was a casualty of the Interstate 5 interchange widening project, closing in January 1992 after a 14-year run.

Burgerville officials confirmed to the Statesman Journal in January that when deciding what region to focus expansion on, "Salem became one of the first targets."

"We love Salem, and we're confident we will have a signed lease there in the coming months," officials said in an emailed response to questions. "We've known that Salem is eager to have a location again, and we're thrilled to return as soon as possible."

Salem had a Burgerville for 14 years, opening Dec. 6, 1977, and closing in late January 1992. It was located at 1717 Hawthorne Ave. NE before the widening of Interstate 5 at the Market Street interchange.
Salem had a Burgerville for 14 years, opening Dec. 6, 1977, and closing in late January 1992. It was located at 1717 Hawthorne Ave. NE before the widening of Interstate 5 at the Market Street interchange.

Burgerville pursued opening a restaurant at Keizer Station at least twice, once early in the development and again later. It is not clear why those potential plans never panned out.

In the past 20 months, rumors have surfaced about Burgerville being interested in the former Sonic Drive-In locations in Salem and Keizer. Sonic closed its restaurants at 220 Lancaster Drive NE and 3775 River Road N in 2022.

Burgerville officials would not answer questions in January about those rumors.

The new partnership for the company, headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, was expected to be finalized Monday, according to the press release. It announced Casey, who joined the chain two years ago, will continue as CEO of the company, and the rest of the current management team will remain in place.

Ricci, CEO at Dutch Bros. from 2019 to 2023, will join the team as Executive Chairman. Ricci led the popular coffee chain through a strategic growth plan and IPO in September 2021.

"Burgerville was a pioneer in sustainability and local long before those were industry buzzwords," Ricci said. "I'm excited to be able to play a role in the next leg of the Burgerville journey."

Casey said the company’s plans for growth come at a time of strength thanks to operational adjustments made in recent years. Those changes, driven by Burgerville's commitment to quality and supporting local producers, have spurred increased sales over the past two years, and the company is on track to grow sales again this year.

The press release said Burgerville and its investors are committed to supporting employees, vendors and local communities across the footprint.

"The new investor group has deep ties to the Pacific Northwest and is committed to Burgerville's mission of sustainability and premium quality," Casey said. "Their commitment to the company and its values will ensure that Burgerville will remain the local, community-focused favorite that it’s always been.”

Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com, and follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem, Keizer on top of expansion list for Burgerville

Advertisement