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Bubba Gump Shrimp raises more than $22,000 for charity
Article published on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/080508_bhb-02.jpg) |
| Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is open at John’s Pass Village. |
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MADEIRA BEACH – Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. opened its doors at John’s Pass Village with three days of events, including a major VIP party and a grand opening that raised more than $22,000 for St. Petersburg-based R’Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to early childhood education and extended learning programs.
As part of the grand opening celebrations, more than 700 local politicians, business executives and residents sampled the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. menu at the VIP party on July 17.
The 15,000-square-foot restaurant is the chain’s 22nd in the United States and 33rd in the world.
The restaurant is led by General Manager Mark Talbot, a Florida native, and Chef Lynn Yoder, who has been the chef at the New Orleans location since 2005. Annual sales are projected at $5 million.
Fifty percent of all sales from Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.’s July 18 grand opening were donated to the R’Club.
St. Petersburg-based Wallace, Welch & Willingham, an independent insurance agency donated an additional $5,000 for a total donation of $22,908.
Since the 1996 debut of the flagship Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. on Cannery Row in Monterey, Calif., 32 additional locations have opened, many in key tourist destinations. A privately held company headquartered in San Clemente, Calif., Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. plans to open 35 to 50 additional restaurants in the next five years.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. strives to bring to life the 1994 hit movie “Forrest Gump.” The restaurant features décor reminiscent of the movie’s Alabama setting. Film memorabilia and still photos decorate the walls, along with reproductions of script pages, storyboards and costumes, to create a fun family atmosphere.
Guests can try on plaster casts of Forrest’s running shoes at the replica of the famed bus bench in front of the restaurant. A retail store within the restaurant sells souvenirs and clothing. Specialty items include Bubba’s shrimp cookbook, license plates with catch phrases like “Run, Forrest, Run,” boxes of chocolate, and T-shirts, hats and sweatshirts. For more information about Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurants, visit www.bubbagump.com.
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Article published on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008
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