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People of Arkansas, take notice: the counter-culture is coming. On the heels of a three-unit deal to bring locations to Little Rock and Fayetteville, marijuana-themed sandwich shop concept <a href="https://franchise.chebahut.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cheba-hut-identifies-arkansas-as-key-growth-market-2710611" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Cheba Hut</a> is exploring additional opportunities to grow throughout the state of Arkansas.

Born in the college town of Tempe, Arizona, back in 1998, Cheba Hut&rsquo;s <a href="https://1851franchise.com/chebahut/all-of-the-flavor-none-of-the-judgement-toasted-sub-concept-cheba-hut-still-serving-good-vibes-after-21-years-2709142" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">cannabis-themed culture</a> has been embraced by a multitude of college markets as it has grown throughout the western U.S.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Cheba Hut started as a college brand at Arizona State before we moved down to Tucson via the University of Arizona, then Boulder via the University of Colorado-Boulder and then Eugene via the University of Oregon,&rdquo; said Marc Torres, Cheba Hut&rsquo;s Chief Operating Officer. &ldquo;That early development in the Pac-12 Conference generated some awesome rivalries between stores&mdash;because we were college-oriented, we would do marketing at games, tailgating events, etc. It really creates a cool sense of internal competition and some engaging elements that you don&rsquo;t necessarily see with other brands.&rdquo;

This success gave Cheba Hut the momentum it needed to spark up interest in new markets as the &ldquo;Green Wave&rdquo; has spread across the country&mdash;in the last year specifically, the brand has blazed its way into the Southeast, signing franchise agreements in Atlanta; Orlando and St. Augustine, Florida; Austin, Texas; <a href="https://katv.com/news/local/marijuana-themed-sandwich-shop-cheba-hut-coming-to-arkansas?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cheba-hut-identifies-arkansas-as-key-growth-market-2710611" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">and Arkansas</a>, to name a few.&nbsp;

Torres said that markets with SEC schools like Fayetteville are attractive to the brand because the spirited culture that often accompanies sports-oriented colleges aligns with the fun and welcoming feel that visitors can expect to find at their local Cheba Hut. Torres noted several factors related to Cheba Hut&rsquo;s model and culture make him confident that the brand will do well in the Fayetteville market specifically.

&ldquo;Obviously, a cannabis theme isn&rsquo;t for everybody, but we tend to draw people with a little bit more open-mindedness, which you often find in college students,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Our playful &lsquo;should-I-or-shouldn&rsquo;t-I&rsquo; vibe really touches on that student experience of making your own decisions for the first time.&rdquo;

Seth Larsen, Cheba Hut&rsquo;s Chief Relationship Officer, agreed. <a href="https://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2019/05/21/marijuana-themed-cheba-hut-restaurant-to-bring-toasted-subs-other-edibles-to-fayetteville/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cheba-hut-identifies-arkansas-as-key-growth-market-2710611" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">In an interview with the Fayetteville Flyer</a>, Larsen said, &ldquo;Traditionally, we are thought of as a college brand. We&rsquo;d like to be near the University of Arkansas, that makes sense for us.&rdquo; Larsen continued by noting the broader appeal of the brand, too, adding, &ldquo;We have always been food-focused, hospitality-driven, and focused on treating people the way they like to be treated. Those concepts can really play well anywhere.&rdquo;

In discussing the brand&rsquo;s plans to grow its presence in the state, <a href="https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/may/26/cheba-hut-soon-to-roll-into-state-20190/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cheba-hut-identifies-arkansas-as-key-growth-market-2710611" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette</a> consulted Martin Thoma, author and principal at Little Rock-based brand leadership firm Thoma Thoma.

&ldquo;[Thoma] said Cheba Hut&#39;s expansion seemed timed with a more relaxed national attitude about marijuana use, with more than 30 states, including Arkansas, legalizing medical marijuana and 10 making the plant legal for recreational use,&rdquo; the article reads. &ldquo;Thoma said Cheba Hut was clever, not only to link its brand with marijuana&#39;s well-known association with appetite stimulation but with other aspects of pot culture, including relaxation, cheerfulness, friendliness and playfulness. He said there would be some potential customers who won&#39;t darken Cheba Hut&#39;s door because of its messaging, but that didn&#39;t matter much where branding is concerned.&nbsp;

&ldquo;&lsquo;In some ways that&#39;s the whole point of a brand,&rsquo;&rdquo; Thoma was quoted as saying. &ldquo;&lsquo;You&#39;re not only defined by what you say yes to&mdash;but sometimes what you say no to.&rsquo;&rdquo;

It is the intersection of all of these factors that makes Cheba Hut a truly one-of-a-kind dining experience that extends beyond just college students and <a href="https://www.thv11.com/article/life/food/marijuana-themed-restaurant-cheba-hut-is-making-its-way-to-arkansas/91-7d38a633-1766-4c43-a155-5fc2ef8b4371?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cheba-hut-identifies-arkansas-as-key-growth-market-2710611" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">has the people of Arkansas buzzing</a>.&nbsp;

Cheba Hut start-up costs range from $336,000 to $678,000, including a franchise fee of $99,000 for a three-unit deal. For more information about the Cheba Hut franchise opportunity, please visit <a href="https://franchise.chebahut.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cheba-hut-identifies-arkansas-as-key-growth-market-2710611" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">https://franchise.chebahut.com/</a>.

Cheba Hut Identifies Arkansas as Key Growth Market 

1851 Franchise

As part of its strategic growth initiative throughout the Southeastern US, the marijuana-themed sandwich shop has pinpointed Arkansas as an area ripe with franchise development opportunities.

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