Thursday, November 21

It's not Mangia - But "the deli for the new millenium" Cosi, a New York import to the Washington area, is looking to go public. Cosi recently acquired our own Xando coffeeshops, which Zagat likened to "the set of Friends." (I once saw Chelsea Clinton at the South Dupont location.) Maybe if the IPO is successful the chain will reach Hampton Roads, which having finally gotten on the Starbucks map also recently saw its first Panera openings. However, Cosi is not profitable, and one wonders if massive expansion of an upscale chain eatery, where a sandwich may well cost more than a share of stock, is right for our tough economic times. Makes me wonder how JAM-ba Juice is doing.