New McCormick & Schmick's owner has big plans

Houston-based restaurant tycoon Tilman Fertitta has big plans for the new restaurant chain he has agreed to buy–Portland's McCormick & Schmick's.

Fertitta told The Oregonian that he'll close a number of restaurants nationwide over the next few years or change their brands to one of his other banners. However, he was quick to say that he "wouldn't touch" Jake's Famous Crawfish, Jake's Grill or The Heathman, some of McCormick & Schmick's better known names. 

"McCormick & Schmick's has a lot of really good stores; there's also a good percentage of bad stores -- you can't let bad bring down the good," he said. "We want to modernize and tweak things a big. That old Tiffany lamp look has seen a better day." 

Fertitta said he plans to update a number of locations, including Harborside on the Willamette River, and offer more support to McCormick & Schmick's managers. The company's downtown Portland headquarters will be slimmed down, although he envisions some type of regional office here. He also said he plans to keep Schmick, who has remained on the company's board, "involved to some degree."

Read more at OregonLive.com.

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