UK-based international hospitality design consultancy, Harrison, is to open a new office in the US to service the growing number of projects it is spearheading across North America. Located near to the restaurant HQ hub of Dallas in Carrollton, Texas, the office will be headed up by Harrison director Keith Anderson with MD and founder, Philip Harrison.
Major Harrison projects currently under way in the US include the rollout of an updated international design for the TGI Friday’s parent company, Carlson Restaurants, which has spent the last three years working with Harrison on a new global design strategy.
Work is currently being carried out on over 30 sites across the US, including Nashville, Boston, Seaworld in Orlando and Brooklyn, New York. Further US projects include the North American pilot site development for Nando’s in Washington DC.
Keith Anderson comments: “The North American market offers tremendous potential for a consultancy like Harrison, which has broad-ranging international experience and the capability to inject the formulaic US restaurant market with fresh, invigorating designs.
“Our longstanding relationship with TGI Friday’s in both the UK and the US is an excellent demonstration of our ability to understand what motivates consumers in disparate markets, and then translate the expectations of both customer and client into durable and profitable hospitality venues.”
Harrison’s expansion into the US comes on the back of a major move into Europe and the Middle East, which currently sees the consultancy working in France, Russia, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar for clients such as YO! Sushi, Rosinter, Nando’s, Giraffe and Food Fund.
The company has also expanded significantly in the UK over the last five years, and now employs over 30 design specialists who work on brands such as Pizza Hut, Nando’s, TGI Friday’s, Giraffe, Bella Italia, Strada, Browns and YO! Sushi.
The business is also growing its portfolio of individual projects, the latest of which is a 40-bed boutique hotel in central London.
“Despite the testing economic conditions, Harrison is making great inroads into the international leisure design sector – and this is a strategy we fully intend to continue,” says Philip Harrison.
“Plans for the immediate future include the expansion of our international workforce, as well as the development of strategic consultancy partnerships both here in the UK and overseas.”
