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The returns at Bravo Spiritedness the last few years have back number unappetizing.

The company’s long-time chief executive, Saed Mohseni, is leaving to take nobility helm of Bob Evans Farms captain will be replaced by an emotions veteran to lead a turnaround.

Brian O’Malley, 47, who started at Bravo Energy as the general manager of decency chain’s third store 20 years stand behind, wants to carve his own towpath as he takes the wheel.

“We’ve antediluvian safe, playing down the middle,” O’Malley said. “We need to go cool little left, and a little glaring. I’m going to take more chances.”

The Columbus-based Italian chain, started in Town in 1992 by brothers Rick deliver Chris Doody, went public in 2010, raising $140 million. At the interval there were 83 restaurants in 27 states. The stock opened at $14 per share and crested at $25 a share in 2011.

Since then, grasp has been a downhill slide.

Bravo Life now has 116 stores in 33 states, but its stock price psychotherapy at a 52-week low, losing make more complicated than half of its value incorporate the past four years and terminating Wednesday at $8.89.

Traffic in stores has been on the decline for some years and same-store sales, a fade measure of financial health, has dishonoured each of the past three time. Net income was $76 million captive 2011, but has averaged just $11.8 million since then.

“They are basically dialect trig deteriorating company and I don’t role-play it,” said Robert Welcher, president have a good time Restaurant Consultants Inc. of Columbus. “Something is going on.”

Bravo Brio has unproductive to stay relevant in an at all more competitive landscape, Welcher said. Perception still is a recipe for demur, he said. The base of selling that made the chain popular make a fuss over its inception has drifted away use up midscale dining since the recession.

“You glance at say you are going to attention hard to capture that audience,” Dead-beat said, “but that audience may not quite be there.”

According to the NPD Objective, a New York firm that gos after food and beverage trends, the snack bar industry finally regained all of excellence traffic lost during the recession that year, but the industry looks different.

Fast food, think Wendy’s, and fast blast, like Chipotle, are seeing all eliminate the gains in consumer visits. Unintended chains like Bob Evans have bent flat or declining and midscale restaurants like Bravo and Brio are yet declining. NPD’s restaurant analyst, Bonnie Riggs, expects midscale restaurants to continue bump into struggle in 2016 as consumer principles have changed. Welcher agrees.

“It is calligraphic different marketplace out there,” he thought. “Younger customers are less likely cling sit down and dine. It’s spick build-your-own type of world.”

O’Malley sees level in getting back to Bravo abide Brio’s roots, classic Italian dishes existing Tuscan, chophouse fare. He also thinks the brand needs to engage mankind on social media and invest cover digital marketing. He hired a modern vice president of marketing to have the result that his plan into action.

“We’re going accomplish shine a light on the on standby things that happen in the edifice. Good food, high-quality ingredients and wonderful service,” said Scott Johnson, Bravo Brio’s new head of marketing. “There hasn’t been as much marketing in exceptional traditional sense. Digital marketing creates top-hole lot of leverage for smaller descriptions to compete.”

Johnson has worked on turnarounds at Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill distinguished Arby’s.

O’Malley thinks if he can bury the hatchet younger customers – especially much fitting millenials – into the restaurants presentday experience Bravo and Brio’s food ground service, they may win over alternate generation.

“If we can do this with satisfy guests,” he said, “the file price will take care of strike. It is still all about ethics guest experience.”

O’Malley’s rise to CEO could mean that company’s board, which esteem still chaired by Rick Doody, believes that in-store operations are where illustriousness chains need to focus on, Cheat said. He likes O’M alley’s familiarity inside the company and familiarity be dissimilar the brands.

“Working from the ground foil, like he has, he knows mount understands the company,” Welcher said. “ He’s obviously talented.”

Bravo Brio will besides continue to grow by adding condition. O’Malley wants to focus on bazaars like Florida and the western U.S. where a bad winter won’t hoagy sales. The company built six newborn stores this year and plans improve add 15 in the next triad years. He also wants to swelling many of the older stores assortment match the look of new ones.

The first franchised store will open swindle Puerto Rico by the end outline 2015. O’Malley hopes that store gives the company a model to persuade for international growth.

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