Colorado Grill comes out on top in Calif.'s Central Valley

Nation's Restaurant News, June 7, 2004 by Alan J. Liddle

A resident of California's Central Valley for the past nine years, Ali Nekumanesh is far from the Denver area he adopted as a new home after having moved to the United States from Iran in 1970. However, he pays homage to that mountainous region from his past by calling his future--a counter-service, burgers-and-more concept he plans to expand--the Colorado Grill.

The president of Fresno, Calif.-based Eagles Management, Nekumanesh and his partners operate the 6-year-old, 57-seat Colorado Grill in that city and a months-old clone in nearby Clovis. To get where they are today, they had to overcome an 8-month, fire-related closure of the Fresno unit in 2001 and 2002. Annual sales at the original unit in 2003 were $610,000. The average check is $7.21.

What is the Colorado Grill concept?

It's about the '50s and gourmet burgers from fresh, never frozen beef. It's about large portions--we serve burgers up to 9 pounds--and it's about old-fashioned ice-cream shakes and homemade onion rings.

How and why did you become a restaurateur?

My first job was working in a dining room of a hotel as a busboy. I continued working at restaurants all the way through college.

Did you earn a degree?

Yes. A bachelor of arts in economics from Metropolitan State University in Denver.

Who are your partners?

My wife, Debbie, and my cousins Hamid and Tahereh Karimi.

What were your unit development costs?

Approximately $250,000 to $325,000.

How did you finance your restaurants?

For the first one, we used loans from outside sources and savings. The second one was financed using real estate as collateral.

Why did you open a second Colorado Grill?

Encouragement from customers and our own feeling that because of our ability to execute, we can have a strong presence in the marketplace. Sales at the original unit have not shown a decline.

How do you promote your restaurants?

We are involved in our community and with the schools, and we regularly use print and radio ads.