Experienced local entrepreneur to bring Newk’s beloved fast-casual menu to “A Small City with a Big Heart”
For a franchisee, there’s nothing better than opening a location in your hometown – unless it’s with your son as a partner. That’s what Magee, Miss. native Skip Russell of R&R Restaurants of Magee, Inc. will accomplish with his son, Kyle Russell, with the opening of the newest Newk’s Eatery on Monday, Dec. 4.
Russell, a Magee High School graduate, has plenty of franchise experience, having operated other franchises in central and north Mississippi for 28 years. He recently sold his entire portfolio of Popeye’s franchises to focus on his Newk’s journey and is looking forward to opening more Newk’s locations in the future.
“With Newk’s being based in Mississippi, everyone knows and loves the food we serve,” said Russell. “People have asked me for years to bring a Newk’s to Magee, and Kyle and I are so excited to do that,” said Russell.
Located at 1740 Simpson Highway 49, Suite 1 – just an hour’s drive from the Newk’s Eatery headquarters in Jackson, Miss. – the Magee location marks the brand’s 97th restaurant nationwide.
The opening day event will take place Dec. 4, featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. with Magee Mayor Dale Berry and the representatives from the board of aldermen, the board of supervisors, the sheriff and the police chief. The first 50 guests in line will get a free slice of Newk’s famous made-from-scratch cake.
“I’m looking forward to opening this store with Kyle as my managing partner,” said Russell, who along with his wife, was given the Outstanding Citizens Award from the Magee Chamber of Commerce in 2018. “Together, we’re proud to be bringing the culture and great food that Newk’s has to offer along with our first-in-class service to my hometown of Magee.”
The restaurant’s hours of operation are 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day.
To sign up for Newk’s Rewards, download the Newk’s Eatery app or visit newks.com/rewards. To learn more about Newk’s, visit Newks.com.
Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk’s Eatery is a fast-casual chain that operates and franchises over 100 units in 16 states. Founded in 2004 and named after Co-Founder Chris “Newk” Newcomb, Newk’s hand-preps more than 30 fresh ingredients daily for salads, sandwiches, soups, and pizzas, all made in-house without fryers or microwaves. Its Signature Cakes are baked in Newk’s own bakery. Fresh grab-and-go options are also available. Newk’s new mobile app, now available on Google Play and the App Store, offers mobile ordering for curbside, in-store pickup or delivery. In 2020, Newk’s ranked in Nation’s Restaurant News’ “Top 200 Countdown” and Restaurant Business’ Top 250 Chains. Newk’s has also been selected as a Top Food Franchise by Entrepreneur. In 2021, Newk’s was recognized in Nation’s Restaurant’s News as a “Top Scorer in Takeout Food Quality” and ranked among the highest “True Loyalty” scores – the percentages of respondents who said they visit because of a real desire to experience the brand, as opposed to convenience. For more information, visit Newks.com, join Newk’s Rewards, or follow Newk’s on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. For franchise information, visit NewksFranchise.com.
