Author

Katie Lee

Secaucus, N.J. — The Vitamin Shoppe®, a leading specialty retailer of health and wellness products, has promoted Jack Gayton to senior vice president, merchandising, effective immediately. Gayton will report directly to CEO Sharon Leite. Gayton assumes the top merchandising role from Muriel Gonzalez, president of The Vitamin Shoppe, who announced her retirement after an extraordinary retail career spanning more than four decades. Since joining The Vitamin Shoppe in 2020, Gonzalez has played a defining role in advancing the company’s merchant-led specialty retail strategy by reimagining its product vision, accelerating the …

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Los Angeles — Coco Robotics, a leader in autonomous delivery, has collaborated with Little Caesars, the third-largest pizza chain in the world, to bring autonomous robot deliveries to locations throughout Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami, with Little Caesars deliveries coming soon to Coco’s recently expanded operations in downtown San Jose, Calif. Coco’s robots are currently serving participating Little Caesars locations, marking the beginning of a broader rollout to bring autonomous delivery to more Little Caesars guests. Orders placed through participating Little Caesars locations on DoorDash and Uber Eats may be …

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Perris, Calif. — Wood Investments Companies, Inc. (WICo), a fully integrated commercial real estate investment and development firm specializing in retail, has opened a new 149,655‑square‑foot Target at Plaza de Perris in Perris, Calif. The store officially opened on July 26, marking a significant milestone for the center and the surrounding Inland Empire communities. Target now occupies the former Regency Theatres building, which Wood Investments Companies demolished to make way for the retailer’s new store. Plaza de Perris totals nearly 300,000 square feet and is anchored by Burlington, Food 4 …

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Costa Mesa, Calif., and Coral Gables, Fla. — California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) has teamed up with T-ROC Global, a leading provider of technology-enabled retail solutions, to dramatically expand access to CPK through a new generation of automated retail experiences. Through the partnership, T-ROC will implement and operate up to 1,000 CPK automated retail machines nationwide over the next 3 years, bringing the brand to high-traffic locations where a traditional restaurant may be impractical, but consumers are often underserved with elevated food options. From airports and universities to hospitals, hotels, office …

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Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart celebrated the opening of its 100th company-owned and operated electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging site at the Walmart Supercenter located in Monument, Colo. Walmart EV Chargers are now available at 100 stores across 20 states. “By expanding EV fast charging at Walmart locations across the country, we’re giving drivers a dependable way to charge while they’re in the store,” says Shayne Wahlmeier, senior vice president, Walmart Energy. “Reaching 100 sites is an important milestone, and our broad footprint positions us to make EV charging more accessible for …

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San Diego — The board of directors of Jack in the Box Inc. has appointed Taylor Montgomery as president, effective Sept. 14, 2026. In this newly created role, Montgomery will lead brand strategy, with a focus on driving sustainable sales growth, improving franchisee profitability and positioning the company for long term success. He joins the company from Taco Bell. Montgomery’s appointment marks the next step in the company’s previously announced succession plan. He is expected to assume the role of chief executive officer within the next 12 months and will …

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Wilmington, Del. — Food Service Solutions USA (FSS USA), a leading provider of premium commercial foodservice equipment and culinary solutions, has appointed Steven Snitkin as regional sales director. With more than 30 years of experience in the commercial foodservice industry, Snitkin brings a combination of culinary expertise, strategic sales leadership, product management and customer-focused business development. Throughout his career, he has helped operators, dealers, consultants and manufacturers identify innovative solutions that enhance kitchen performance, improve food quality and drive operational success. In his new role, Snitkin will be responsible for …

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Los Angeles — On Aug. 27, a living 150-year-old olive tree rooted thousands of miles away in Spain will ceremonially open the first U.S. flagship of OLIVE TREE PEOPLE, the leader in Waterless Beauty, in Venice, Calif. From thousands of miles away, the tree will open the Los Angeles flagship through its live frequency — connecting the company’s newest chapter directly to the olive grove where its story began. The milestone comes only 3 years after OLIVE TREE PEOPLE began selling its products in the United States. Waterless Beauty is …

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— By Katie Lee — Barnes & Noble’s turnaround is being driven by three core strengths: sound bookselling fundamentals, local control over book curation and a refreshed store design. The year was 2019; no one knew a worldwide pandemic was on the way. At Barnes & Noble, what they did know was a new CEO had just been announced. His name was James Daunt and, from the unforeseen challenges of 2020 to the record-breaking growth of 2025, the iconic bookseller has managed to turn adversity into opportunity every step of …

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Lexington, Ky. — A&W Restaurants has launched its new restaurant prototype, a design that honors the brand’s iconic past while creating a relevant, differentiated experience for today’s guests. The updated design will serve as the foundation for future A&W restaurant development across the U.S., supporting the brand’s expansion into both new and existing markets. Inspired by A&W’s classic diner restaurants and its original roadside root beer stands, the modern heritage concept blends timeless Americana with contemporary architecture, enhanced guest comfort and a flexible footprint that can be adapted for a …

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