At Crain’s, Anne Spiselman reports on the arrival of an unexpected and unusual franchise on Chicago’s shores: Duran European Sandwiches Cafe, which will get its first U.S. outpost here to add to its other outlets in… Vienna, Budapest, and Istanbul. How did this happen? U.S. franchisee licensee Tracy Miller first tried the open-faced European sandwiches because her husband, Stanislav Grezdo, curator at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, was such a fan of them. She acquired the U.S. rights and spent a month in Vienna learning to make the spreads and toppings for the sandwiches, which are about three to four bites-sized and will sell for around $2.50 to $3.50; the bread will come from La Fournette. The cafe is already open serving coffee, tea and pastries at 529 N. Milwaukee, and will launch the sandwiches in mid-March, with delivery to the Loop and corporate catering later in the spring. [Crain’s]
