Così (restaurant)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fast casual restaurant |
| Founded | 1989 in Paris, France |
| Founder | Drew Harre |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | RJ Dourney (former CEO) |
| Products | Handcrafted flatbread sandwiches and fast casual dining |
Così, an American fast-casual dining chain known for its handcrafted flatbread, is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its name derives from the opera Così fan tutte. By November 2020, the brand operated 20 outlets spread across several states, a significant reduction from the 66 locations earlier that year. The company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2020.
History
The origins of Così trace back to 1989 when entrepreneur Drew Harre founded it in Paris, France. The brand made its U.S. debut in 1996 when Shep and Jay Wainwright launched the first American branch in New York. In 1999, a merger with Xando (previously known as ZuZu) broadened Così’s market footprint.
Così became a publicly traded company following its IPO in 2002. The following year, Kevin Armstrong took over as CEO to spearhead strategic expansion efforts. In 2010, the company transitioned its Washington D.C. locations to Capitol C Restaurants as franchises, moving towards a franchising-focused business approach.
In 2014, RJ Dourney, the largest franchise operator within Così, was appointed CEO and shifted the corporate headquarters from Deerfield, Illinois to Boston to improve operational capabilities and market access. However, ongoing financial difficulties led to his termination in 2016.
That same year marked another Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing accompanied by numerous store closures and the removal of Così’s shares from NASDAQ trading. During this restructuring phase, the company sought potential buyers for most of its assets.
After emerging from bankruptcy in May 2017 under new ownership groups including MILFAM II L.P. and AB Value Partners, Così focused on stabilizing its business operations. Nevertheless, it filed for Chapter 11 protection once more in February 2020 amid further shutdowns but subsequently withdrew the filing to pursue federal pandemic relief assistance.
Surviving through the COVID-19 crisis, Così reopened its bankruptcy proceedings on July 1, 2022 as part of continued financial reorganization efforts.