Philly Soft Pretzel Factory featured in the LaSalle Collegian

Philly Soft Pretzel Factory was recently featured in a great article in The LaSalle Collegian, entitled "Philly Pretzel Factory: More than just pretzels." The article published on Friday, March 4, 2011, and was built from a taste test of the new Buffalo Chicken Pretzel at the local Philly Pretzel Factory in Pittsburgh and in-person interviews with managers Katie Koper and Christopher Dowling. In this article, Cheyenne Shaffer writes about her very positive response to the brand new Buffalo Chicken Pretzel at Philly Pretzel Factory. The store managers weigh in on what sets Philly Pretzel Factory apart from the competition, and why their special ingredients make for the most delicious pretzels in town. Cheyenne discusses the franchise’s growth and success in the region. Click here to view the full article.

Philly Pretzel Factory: More than just pretzels
By Cheyenne Shaffer

With a business that continues to expand, Philly Soft Pretzel Factory has set the standard for Philadelphia soft pretzels. Their newest creation, the buffalo chicken pretzel, is a spicy addition to the menu.

The introduction of the buffalo chicken pretzel was marked with an event, that included a massive chicken egg hunt at Love Park, free prizes and samples of the new product. I was able to try the new pretzel recently and wasn’t disappointed. The pretzel is stuffed with chicken, mozzarella cheese, and a special buffalo sauce. The pretzel struck a sufficient balance, being spicy and enjoyable. However, if you are looking for something a bit more fiery and intense, extra buffalo sauce is available.

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Philly Pretzel Factory Featured in The Trentonian

Franchisees come from many different backgrounds. Mark and Karen Cooper were both white collar workers in corporate America before opening their first Philly Pretzel Factory location in Ewing in 2007. Mark recently spoke with The Trentonian in an article called “Ewing pretzel shop owners to open second location,” which published July 21. The article sheds light onto Mark and Karen's entrepreneurial story, how they stormed the tough economy and how they are now expanding and opening their second location in Flemington. A portion of the article is shared below and you can view the full article from The Trentonian by clicking here.

Ewing pretzel shop owners to open second location
By JOAN GALLER

EWING — Four years ago, Mark and Karen Cooper decided that making money at their respective jobs in corporate America wasn’t enough, they wanted a new twist on life.

Little did they know that their dream of economic independence — as franchise owners of a Philly Pretzel Factory outlet, which they opened in 2007 in Ewing — would materialize just as the nation was plunging into the worst economic recession in half a century.

Yet, this long-married couple from Cherry Hill persevered, weathered the storm and are now poised to expand from their store at 1400 Parkway Ave. to a second location in the Hunterdon County community of Flemington. The official opening is set for Aug. 1.

As Mark tells their story, he and wife Karen, both 49, worked for decades in white collar office jobs: She was an area manager for Wawa, running many stores, and he worked for a company that encrypted data networks.

“We were at a point where money was less important than being together, working together, doing something that was fun and rewarding at same time,” said Mark.

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Philly Pretzel Factory Featured in Times of Trenton

The Times of Trenton just published an article called “They’re making a new kind of dough” about the Philly Pretzel Factory location in Ewing! The story discusses how Mark and Karen Cooper, the franchisees of that location, have ingrained their Philly Pretzel Factory location within the Ewing community and their recent expansion to Flemington. Part of the story is below and a link to the full story is here.

They're making a new kind of dough
By Matt Connolly

After years in the corporate world, Mark Cooper and his wife, Karen, decided to quit their well-paying but stressful jobs to make a new kind of dough.
"We got tired of the corporate grind," said Mark. "It seemed like a good time to look for something new."

The two Cherry Hill residents eventually decided to open a Philly Pretzel Factory location in Ewing. Mark said the pair wanted to work together, having not seen each other enough because of the time demands of their previous jobs, and also wanted to engage with customers.

"It's not easy, but it's far more rewarding," he said. "There's a lot of fun things you can do with pretzels."

From the beginning, the Coopers knew that community involvement was key to attracting customers. Before the store even opened in October 2007, they were out selling pretzels in the soccer fields behind the Parkway Avenue location.

"During soccer season it's a huge gathering place for the community," Mark said.

To view the full article click here.