Charleys Cheesesteaks

{{short description|American restaurant chain}} {{Distinguish|O'Charley's}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}} {{Infobox company | name = Charleys Cheesesteaks | logo = Charleys Philly Steaks logo.svg | image = Charley's Philly Steaks Valencia.jpg | image_caption = A Charley's Philly Steaks outlet in Valencia, California | trade_name = Charleys | type = Private | former_names = {{plainlist| * Charley's Steakery (1986–2002) * Charley's Grilled Subs (2002–2012) }} | industry = Food Franchising | genre = Fast casual | founded = {{start date and age|1986}} | founders = Charley Shin | hq_location_city = Columbus, Ohio | hq_location_country = United States | num_locations = 600 | num_locations_year = 2017<ref name="forbes-2017-12-18" /> | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Charley Shin (CEO)<br>Debbie Allison (Vice President) | products = Cheesesteaks, grilled subs, french fries, soft drinks | revenue = US$534 million | revenue_year = 2021 | owner = Gosh Enterprises | num_employees = 3,000 | num_employees_year = 2021 | website = {{URL|charleys.com}} }}

'''Charleys Cheesesteaks''', officially '''Charleys Philly Steaks''', is an American restaurant chain specializing in Philly cheesesteak headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.<ref>"[http://www.charleys.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524230339/http://www.charleys.com/|date=2011-05-24}}." Charleys Philly Steaks. Retrieved on May 28, 2010.</ref> Formerly known as '''Charley's Steakery''' and '''Charley's Grilled Subs''', the franchise was established in 1986 on the campus of Ohio State University. By 2017 there were 600 locations in 45 states and in 19 countries. Charleys is believed to have doubled in size in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Charleys Philly Cheese Steaks Franchise Named a "Thriving Brand"|url=https://charleysfranchise.com/featured/qsr-magazine-calls-charleys-philly-cheese-steaks-franchise-a-thriving-brand/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=charleysfranchise.com}}</ref><ref name="forbes-2017-12-18" /> In addition to traditional Philly cheesesteaks, the chain also has other steak based sandwiches and multiple grilled chicken sandwiches, among other grilled sandwiches.

== History == While studying real estate at Ohio State University, Korean American Charley Shin worked in his mother's Japanese/Korean restaurant in Columbus, Ohio.<ref name="forbes-2017-12-18">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/gracechung/2017/12/18/how-a-korean-immigrant-amassed-a-food-empire-by-serving-an-american-favorite/#64e6b5af626d |title=How A Korean Immigrant Amassed A Food Empire By Serving An American Favorite |first=Grace |last=Chung |access-date=4 August 2018 |date=December 18, 2017 |work=Forbes.com}}</ref> While taking a trip to New York City, the Shins took a detour to Philadelphia, resulting in Charley's discovery of the Philly cheesesteak. Charley convinced his mother to take a break, sell the restaurant, and invest her life savings of $48,000 in "Charley's," a {{convert|450|sqft|m2|adj=on}} restaurant across the street from Ohio State's campus.<ref name="fastcasual.com">{{ cite web |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110710225627/http://www.fastcasual.com/article.php?id=8536&na=1 |archive-date=2011-07-10 |url=http://www.fastcasual.com/article.php?id=8536&na=1 |work=Fast Casual |title=Charley's Grilled Subs |date=August 27, 2007 |first=Richard |last=Slawsky}}</ref>

==Gosh Enterprises== Charleys Philly Steaks is a subsidiary of Gosh Enterprises, which is solely owned by Shin.<ref name="cm-2018jan23">{{cite news |url=https://www.columbusmonthly.com/lifestyle/20180123/whos-next-charley-shin-founder-and-ceo-of-bibibop-asian-grill |title=Who's Next: Charley Shin, founder and CEO of Bibibop Asian Grill |magazine=Columbus Monthly |date=January 23, 2018 |first=Dave |last=Ghose |access-date=October 9, 2020 |archive-date=October 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014053554/https://www.columbusmonthly.com/lifestyle/20180123/whos-next-charley-shin-founder-and-ceo-of-bibibop-asian-grill |url-status=dead }}</ref> Gosh also owns the Bibibop Asian Grill chain,<ref name="cm-2018jan23"/> which had purchased the leases for the defunct ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen chain.<ref name="el-2017may09">{{cite news |url=https://la.eater.com/2017/5/9/15595650/bibibop-asian-grill-shuttered-shophouse-locations-los-angeles |title=Bibibop Asian Grill Takes Over All Shuttered ShopHouse Locations: Including four in Los Angeles |website=Eater LA |date=May 9, 2017 |first=Crystal |last=Coser}}</ref><ref name="labj-2017mar20">{{cite news |url=https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2017/mar/20/bibibop-asian-grill-moving-los-angeles-shophouse-l/ |title=Bibibop Asian Grill Moving into Los Angeles ShopHouse Locations |newspaper=Los Angeles Business Journal |date=March 20, 2017 |first=Caroline |last=Anderson}}</ref>

== References== ;Footnotes {{reflist}}

;General sources *{{cite news |title= Mixing kindness with business |url= http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=538478 |publisher= Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |first= Tannette |last= Johnson-Elie |date= 2006-12-05 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070929141008/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=538478 |archive-date= 2007-09-29 }} *{{cite news |title= Charlie's is hot on the grill (free preview) |url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ST&s_site=dfw&p_multi=ST&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=100DD7ECCA119BB2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |publisher= Fort Worth Star-Telegram | first= June |last= Naylor |date= 2004-02-20}} *{{cite news |title= Steaking His Claim: Crafty Charley Shin Proves Fast Food, Franchising |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2294814.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516142127/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2294814.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2011-05-16 |publisher= AsianWeek | first= Candy Kit Har |last= Chan |date= 1994-11-25}}

== External links == {{Portal|Ohio|Companies|Food}} * [https://charleys.com/ Official website]

Category:Companies based in the Columbus metropolitan area, Ohio Category:Fast-food franchises Category:Restaurants in Ohio Category:Submarine sandwich restaurants Category:Fast casual restaurants Category:Fast-food chains of the United States Category:Restaurants established in 1986 Category:1986 establishments in Ohio Category:American companies established in 1986