— Interview with Hal Moorefield — R&R: Where are you based, and how long has the company been in business? Hal Moorefield: Moorefield Construction Inc. headquarters are located in Santa Ana, California, with a second office in Sacramento, California. Moorefield Construction is a family-owned company and just celebrated 65 years in business under the same name. R&R: What is your name and title, and how long have you been with the company? Moorefield: I am Hal Moorefield, vice president, and have been with the company for over 40 years. …
Katie Lee
Woodcliff Lake, N.J. — Party City Holdco Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The restructuring process is expected to substantially reduce the company’s debt and optimize its capital structure and liquidity. The company expects to complete the restructuring process in the second quarter of this year. Party City’s more than 800 stores will remain open during the bankruptcy process. The company says it will continue to advance its key initiatives underway, such as converting stores to next-generation prototypes, evolving Halloween City pop-up stores, building out its online shopping experience, …
Cheyenne, Wyo. — Taco John’s International Inc., a quick-serve Mexican franchise, is unveiling its newest store design concept, the Drive Thru Olé, which was first piloted in 2021 and whose original idea — based on modular buildings — dates back to the company founding in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyo. Drive Thru Olé is less than half the size of its traditional location footprint, requiring only .35 to .50 acres of land. This latest prototype is quicker to build and costs significantly less than the traditional freestanding unit that is 2,200 …
New York City — Authentic Brands Group has appointed Jessica Holscott as chief financial officer. Holscott succeeds Kevin Clarke, founding partner and longtime company leader, as he assumes a new position as executive vice chairman. Holscott joins Authentic from Warner Media, where she served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Studios and Networks. Holscott brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in financial management, strategic planning, operations and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Warner Media, Holscott held several leadership roles, including executive vice president and CFO …
Los Angeles — Modern Restaurant Concepts (MRC), a leading fast-casual restaurant platform comprising the QDOBA, Modern Market Eatery and Lemonade brands, has hired veteran restaurant executive John Cywinski as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Previously, Cywinski served on leadership teams from Applebee’s, Chili’s, KFC, McDonald’s and Burger King. Most recently, he was president of Applebee’s Grill & Bar for 6 years, where he led a transformation and resurgence of the $4.4 billion business. Before his role at Applebee’s, Cywinski also served as president of KFC where he led …
Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Expands to Canada with First Location Set to Open Near Toronto
Miami — Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, a leading pet service franchise brand in the U.S., will open its first store in Canada in 2023. The pet store will be the company’s first franchise-owned international location in the greater Toronto area, with plans to open 200 locations in the country. With its mission to be the world’s largest network of neighborhood pet stores, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming has 200 locations open or under development across 18 states in the U.S. offering luxury spa services, gourmet treats and premium pet …
Manasquan, N.J. — Jersey Mike’s Subs has hired Brooke Cabrera join the national sub sandwich franchise as director of real estate, Northeast. Previously, she was a vice president and market director of real estate at JPMorgan Chase & Co for the past 5 years. In her position at Chase, Cabrera oversaw the bank’s retail branch expansion in New England, opening branches in seven states across the Northeast. Her responsibilities entailed high-level market strategy, site identification, lease negotiation and coordinated partnership with her construction counterparts. Prior to JPMorgan, Cabrera was a …
Scottsdale, Ariz. — PXG has officially opened its first New York-based retail store. A premium facility in New Rochelle, N.Y., PXG Westchester marks an outstanding stepping stone for the brand to broaden its footprint in the Northeast. “New Rochelle is an exceptional location for PXG’s newest retail store,” says Bob Parsons, PXG’s founder and CEO. “The area is stirring with economic growth, and interest in golf is the highest we’ve seen across the nation. With our new store, our New York-based PXG Troops will have easy access to the absolute …
Newport Beach, Calif. — Juice It Up! has opened its new Ehrenberg, Ariz., location, marking the brand’s entry into the Grand Canyon State. The Ehrenberg location is part of the bustling AZ Travel Plaza, adding to the store’s current food/drink offerings. Juice It Up! will continue expanding its footprint in Arizona with another opening in Kingman slated for fall 2023. “As a co-owner of the AZ Travel Plaza, I often consider new concepts that have the potential to thrive and provide unique experiences to our visitors. Having lived in Southern …
Pomona, Calif. — Apex Imaging Services has welcomed Blake Kelly to the position of business development director. He has spent over 10 years in the industry of reimaging as a vice president of national accounts and is now dedicating his expertise to Apex Imaging Services. In his previous role, Kelly created and implemented a “CEO Ready” concept to ensure high-level customer service throughout all projects. He has an extensive portfolio, including managing national accounts over $300 million worth of projects. Previously, Kelly has spent his career focusing on exterior work …