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Gretchen's Shoebox Express Celebrates 10 Years of Box Lunch Deliveries
5/26/2006
(Seattle, WA) May 30 marks the 10-year anniversary of the first box lunch delivery made by Gretchen’s Shoebox Express in downtown Seattle. Gretchen’s is a division of Gretchen’s of Schwartz (GOS)- the partnership between Gretchen Mathers and Schwartz Brothers Restaurants. GOS also operates Schwartz Brothers Bakery in Seattle and Columbia River Bakery in Vancouver, WA.
Nordstrom originally launched the business but they decided to sell it after determining that it was not a core strength of the company. “It’s hard to believe that ten years have gone by since we sold the box lunch program”, says Blake Nordstrom, President of Nordstrom. “We were thrilled that Gretchen Mathers and Schwartz Brothers Restaurants partnered to take over this operation. Since we all share the same values as business people here in the Northwest, it was gratifying to know this partnership would take over and now ten years later it’s terrific to see everyone’s efforts be so successful.”
Gretchen’s Shoebox Express currently delivers approximately 6,000 box lunches per week, as well as gourmet platters and floral to businesses in downtown Seattle and surrounding areas. It also provides individual sandwiches and salads to several local retailers on a wholesale basis. Overall, Gretchen’s produced more than four million sandwiches and salads in 2005. Business has grown an incredible 1200% over the last ten years and Gretchen’s has become the largest box lunch delivery company in town. Several other companies have operated in the box lunch arena in the last decade. A few of those have come and gone. “We have quietly grown the business by focusing on serving the best quality products and taking care of the customer”, says Operating Partner Gretchen Mathers.
Prior to her partnership with Schwartz Brothers Restaurants, Gretchen had been in the catering business for 17 years with her own business- Gretchen’s of Course, and had always sold custom box lunches. Since taking over the business from Nordstrom, Gretchen’s has made some changes, such as painting the refrigerated vans bright red and adding Gretchen’s logo, adding a platter and salad bowl menu and creating new menus twice a year. They have recently added “Signature” lunches featuring recipes from the Schwartz Brothers Restaurants family. Gretchen’s still employs 15 of the original employees that came from Nordstrom, plus 120 additional team members.
In addition to Gretchen’s of Schwartz, Schwartz Brothers Restaurants owns and operates Daniel’s Broiler Prime Steaks and Chops in Bellevue, and Daniel’s Broiler Prime Steaks and Chops in Leschi Marina and South Lake Union in Seattle, Chandler’s Crabhouse on South Lake Union at Chandler’s Cove and Daniel’s Catering.
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