Author

Katie Lee

Industry Voicesrestaurantsvendors

The Big Squeeze

by Katie Lee

— By George Lessmeister — 3 areas of margin pressure on restaurants.   Operating a restaurant can feel like a roller coaster ride. Revenue and volume plummeted during the pandemic and then climbed back to pre-COVID levels in 2022. Rising costs, however, are now squeezing profit margins. These ups and downs can make it difficult to plan. What’s the outlook for 2023? Supply Chain Challenges While supply chain bottlenecks are easing somewhat, they are expected to continue as a problem for the restaurant industry well into 2023. Some operators are …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeopleretailers

LIDS Promotes SVP of Merchandising to President

by Katie Lee

Indianapolis — Leading sports retailer Lids has promoted its senior vice president of merchandising, Bob Durda, to president. Over a 13-year tenure at the company, Durda has been at the forefront of Lids’ focus on building out its portfolio of exclusive product and lead the development of many of the company’s most successful programs including partnerships with Major League Baseball and more. Previously, Durda held the roles of buying director and, most recently, senior vice president of merchandising. As president, Durda will continue to drive Lids growth via brand elevation …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

CRISP & GREEN Opens First Location in Manhattan; Continues Quest for 1,000 Units

by Katie Lee

New York City — CRISP & GREEN is set to open in New York City on June 1. Debuting in the popular NoMad neighborhood, this location also marks the company’s entry into its 10th state, with 10 additional states scheduled to open before the end of the year. Since its inception in 2016, the Minnesota-based company has consistently doubled its location count year-over-year, and the entry into this particular market symbolizes a very important turning point for the growth of the brand. Founded by wellness industry veteran and franchising expert …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
managementNewspeopleproperty managementretailers

Vestar Names Industry Veteran to Regional Director Position

by Katie Lee

Phoenix — Vestar, one of the leading privately held shopping center owners and managers in the western U.S., has tapped industry veteran Charles Martinez to be its new regional director overseeing its Northern California properties. Over the past 15 years, Martinez has worked for a variety of retail development and redevelopment projects in Los Angeles, San Francisco and East Bay, Calif., as well as in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. In his new role, Martinez will be responsible for managing a portfolio of 11 shopping centers from Petaluma …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeopleretailers

At Home Names Former Walmart EVP as President and Chief Merchandising Officer

by Katie Lee

Dallas — At Home, The Home and Holiday Superstore, has appointed retail industry veteran Jeff Evans as president and chief merchandising officer. He will assume the position on June 19. He joins the company from Walmart US. “We’re thrilled to have Jeff join the At Home team at a pivotal point in our company’s transformation,” says Lee Bird, chairman and CEO of At Home. “His experience leading at the highest-ranked Fortune 100 company will bring a new level of excellence to our business. He is a collaborative leader that has …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Jersey Mike’s Opens in 50th State, Alaska

by Katie Lee

Wasilla, Alaska — Jersey Mike’s Subs has achieved a major milestone with the opening of its first restaurant in Alaska. The sub chain now offers its fresh sliced/fresh grilled sub sandwiches in all 50 states. “We now have more than 2,500 Jersey Mike’s locations in all 50 states,” says Hoyt Jones, president, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “From the beginning, we’ve believed in smart growth and our success is driven by franchise owners who are passionate about our brand and giving philosophy.” The new Jersey Mike’s is located at 1451 …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newsretailers

Von Maur Department Store to Open First Location in North Dakota

by Katie Lee

Davenport, Iowa — Von Maur Department Store plans to open a 90,000-square-foot store at West Acres Mall in Fargo, N.D. Scheduled to open in spring 2025, this will be the first Von Maur location in North Dakota as the family-owned company’s national growth strategy continues to build. “We look forward to opening the first Von Maur Department Store in North Dakota at such an exceptional location like West Acres Mall,” says Jim von Maur, president of Von Maur. “Fargo is a growing, vibrant metropolitan area in the Upper Midwest and …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeopleroofingvendors

Pegnato Adds New VP of Project Management and Technical Services

by Katie Lee

Marina Del Rey, Calif. — Citing unprecedented growth over the past year, Pegnato, the leader in connecting national roofing portfolio managers with pre-vetted top contractors, has expanded its executive team with the addition of Jason Domecq as vice president of project management and technical services. His years of roofing and contracting expertise with a focus on delivering outstanding customer service will help Pegnato to continue its leadership as a one-stop source of roofing services for national portfolio managers. Domecq comes to Pegnato with several years of recognized commercial roofing experience. …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Panera Brands Establishes Next Generation of Leadership

by Katie Lee

St. Louis — Panera Brands Inc., which includes the fast-casual and hospitality brand Panera Bread as well as Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee, has established its next generation of CEO leadership and board governance in preparation for its eventual IPO. Current CEO Niren Chaudhary will become chairman of Panera Brands, handing the CEO reins to José Alberto Dueñas, currently president and CEO of Einstein Bros. Bagels, effective July 1, 2023. Former Starbucks CFO and independent director Patrick Grismer will become chairman of the audit committee. Over the last 4 …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeopleretailerssoftware/technologyvendors

Retail Tech Platform Lily AI Appoints New Chief Operating Officer

by Katie Lee

Mountain View, Calif. — Lily AI, a retail technology platform specializing in AI solutions for retailers and brands, has hired Avnish Patel to its executive team as chief operating officer, effective immediately. In this new role, Patel will be responsible for overall organizational excellence, scaling cross-functional capabilities, and cultivating partnerships and alliances to accelerate growth. He will advance the company’s mission to transform the retail industry through AI solutions that help retailers and brands improve customer experiences throughout their digital commerce touchpoints. Before joining Lily AI, Patel served as senior …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts