San Francisco — Starbird, a trailblazer in super-premium fast food, has appointed Maria Rivera as chief executive officer and to its board of directors. Rivera, an accomplished industry leader known for scaling some of the sector’s most dynamic brands, assumes leadership of the company. Founder Aaron Noveshen will transition fully to his role as chairman of the board. This move marks a defining moment for Starbird, signaling its bold next chapter as it accelerates national expansion, franchise growth and strong brand awareness — fueled by the vision of its founder, …
Katie Lee
— By John Fairclough — Be the facility director great vendors want to work with. Great vendors don’t just want work. They want to do work that matters. They want to be appreciated, challenged and trusted. They want to be part of a team that delivers with pride. And the best ones? They have options. That’s why the facility director sets the tone, not just for internal teams but for every vendor interaction. Here’s a story about one world-class facility director — we’ll call her “Amy” — who brought out …
Atlanta — National golf retail chain PGA TOUR Superstore has named Troy Rice as its new chief executive officer. Rice comes to PGA TOUR Superstore after 3 years as CEO of retail beverage chain Total Wine & More. Rice will report directly to Arthur M. Blank, owner and chairman of Blank Family of Businesses. He will begin his new role at PGA TOUR Superstore on Sept. 2, 2025. Global search firm Russell Reynolds Associates led the search after Dick Sullivan, CEO of PGA TOUR Superstore for the last 15 years, …
Atlanta — GoTo Foods LLC has announced the international debut of Moe’s Casa Mexicana, a reimagined concept born from Moe’s Southwest Grill, alongside a 45-unit master franchise agreement in India with Unify Foodworks. This milestone marks the first international concept purpose-built for the Moe’s Southwest Grill brand. GoTo Foods now has 60% of its development pipeline focused outside the U.S. Moe’s Casa Mexicana is the global evolution of the beloved Moe’s Southwest Grill brand, created to meet the rising demand for fast-casual Mexican cuisine in international markets. Built from the …
San Francisco — Gap Inc. has named Maggie Gauger as global brand president and CEO of Athleta, effective August 1, as Chris Blakeslee steps down from the role. Gauger joins the company from Nike. “We are thrilled for Maggie Gauger to join as CEO of Athleta as we look to accelerate the brand’s reinvigoration,” says Richard Dickson, Gap Inc. CEO. “Maggie blends proven business transformation capabilities, deep consumer centricity, product fluency and a heartfelt commitment to empowering women and girls. This combination of skills and experiences will equip her to …
Los Angeles — Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (LLCP), a middle-market private equity firm, has partnered with management to acquire Shipley Do-Nuts from Peak Rock Capital. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Houston-based Shipley is the nation’s largest donut and kolache brand, providing handcrafted, fresh-made-daily donuts, kolaches and coffee at over 375 locations across 14 states. Shipley was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company will continue to be run from its Houston headquarters by the existing executive team led by CEO Flynn Dekker. According …
Irvine, Calif. — Effective August 18, 2025, Nate Smith will become president and chief executive officer and director of Tilly’s, Inc. In conjunction with this appointment, Hezy Shaked, co-founder, executive chairman and current president/CEO, will transition into the executive chairman role effective on that date. “On behalf of myself and the board, we are very excited to have Nate join our leadership team, and I am looking forward to working closely with him as he transitions into Tillys,” says Shaked. “We believe Nate’s combination of robust industry experience, core values …
New York City — What began as a pandemic side hustle has emerged as one of the most ambitious and in-demand new franchise brands in America. PopUp Bagels®, the Not Famous but Known® bagel company, has officially signed 300 new franchise locations, marking a major milestone for the brand. PopUp Bagels is unique in the industry because it has no sandwiches and no toasters; all bagels are served hot from the oven, unsliced. “When we started baking bagels in my backyard [in Westport, Conn.], I never imagined we’d turn it …
Lakewood, Colo. — Leading salon suites franchise Sola Salons has closed another successful quarter, marking 20 units sold and another seven opened year-to-date, bringing the systemwide unit count to more than 750 locations. The brand also saw double-digit growth in leads, and occupancy across the system has continued to increase, as well. “With agreements inked for new Solas in key markets like Texas and New York and openings in Florida and California, our system is healthy and growing,” says Daryl Hurst, president and chief operating officer. “We’ve also opened up …
Fort Mill, S.C. — The Halal Guys, the pioneers of American Halal food, is opening the brand’s first location in South Carolina, located in Fort Mill, on July 26. “Opening in Fort Mill marks an exciting step in our continued growth in the South Atlantic region,” says Margaret Carrera, chief operating officer of The Halal Guys. “With our first location in South Carolina, we’re thrilled to bring our signature flavors and street food roots to this welcoming community, and we’re committed to delivering the high-quality American Halal food and hospitality …