Houston - 22 December, 2005 -

Marble Slab Creamery Inc. announced that it has reached the 500-store milestone -- a feat it took 22 years to accomplish. The Houston-based franchisor of ice cream stores said the 500th franchise agreement was signed by Akbar Marediya, a Marble Slab franchisee who owns a total of 12 stores in the Houston area. Ronald Hankamer, Marble Slab's president, says it took 18 years to get to the 250-store milestone, but only four more years to double the number. Marble Slab's goal is to have 1,000 stores by 2008. Marble Slab also recently began dishing up gourmet ice cream in the United Arab Emirates. That store is located in Ibn Buttuta Mall in Dubai, and is owned by a master franchise team led by Tim Getty, Jeff Dillon, Lee Wynne and Andy Costa. Marble Slab, originally founded in 1983, has stores in more than 260 cities in the United States, Canada and in the Middle East. The home grown franchise specializes in premium ice cream made daily in each store, waffle cones and a variety of items to mix in the ice cream.

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