Author

Katie Lee

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PetSmart Releases First Corporate Social Responsibility Report

by Katie Lee

Phoenix — PetSmart has released its first annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report. The report shares PetSmart’s progress across key priorities: (1) healthy and happy pets, (2) empowered people and (3) responsible stewardship. “This report captures the important progress we’ve made and sets the foundation for continued industry leadership across our commitments to our people, the pets in our care, the planet and the communities we serve,” says J.K. Symancyk, president and CEO of PetSmart. “I’m proud that our priorities reflect the thoughts, beliefs and passions of our more than …

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Church’s Texas Chicken Names New VP, Strategy & Growth

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Neel Patel joins Church’s Texas Chicken® as vice president, strategy & growth, a newly created role. He joined the company in late March. He reports directly to Joe Guith, CEO of Church’s Texas Chicken® and Texas Chicken™. In this role, Neel will drive strategic planning, data & analytics, and business transformation in addition to accelerating growth initiatives across all aspects of the business, including marketing, development, finance, supply chain and international. Patel joins Church’s Texas Chicken® from McKinsey & Company where he led growth-focused client engagements across several …

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Belk To Open 5 Additional Belk Outlet Locations

by Katie Lee

Charlotte, N.C. — Belk is opening five additional Belk Outlet locations as part of a new concept the retailer debuted at the start of 2023. For the first time in Belk’s almost 135-year history, the company launched Belk Outlet as an opportunity for customers to get the best brands at a great price. Belk’s Greeneville, Tenn., location pioneered the initiative as the company converted an existing store into the first Belk Outlet and opened its doors to the public on January 30. The feedback from customers was overwhelmingly positive, and …

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Mountain Mike’s Pizza Plans 5 New Restaurants in Las Vegas Area

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Mountain Mike’s Pizza, LLC, a leading California-based family-style pizza chain for more than 40 years, has inked a development deal that will bring five new Mountain Mike’s locations to greater Las Vegas by 2027. The new deal was signed by longtime Mountain Mike’s franchisees Dalvir Janjua, Kamaljit Singh and Manpreet Rai, who currently own and operate two Mountain Mike’s Pizza restaurants in Reno, Nev., and another location in Stockton, Calif. The first of the new Las Vegas-area restaurants is slated to open by early 2024. With …

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Bloomingdale’s Promotes GMM to Chief Merchant

by Katie Lee

New York City — According to Tony Spring, Bloomingdale’s chairman and CEO, Denise Magid has been promoted to the newly created role of chief merchandising officer. She will report to Spring and will drive the strategic direction and performance of all Bloomingdale’s merchandising initiatives. The creation of the chief merchant role is a historic step for Bloomingdale’s and allows the brand to build on the momentum coming off its strong 2022 performance and its 150th anniversary celebration. “We are confident that Denise’s vision and leadership will continue to strengthen our …

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CRISP & GREEN Opening First Arkansas Location in April

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — On the heels of inking its largest development deal to date, STEELE BRANDS®, a Minnesota-based company that establishes and develops healthy lifestyle restaurants, will debut its CRISP & GREEN® concept in Arkansas this spring. The healthy fast-casual brand is slated to open in Bentonville in April, marking the first of five CRISP & GREEN restaurants planned for the state. The Bentonville location will catapult CRISP & GREEN into its busiest year to date, in which it is expected to more than double its restaurant count across 15 states …

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Vulcan Names Project Manager – Custom and Heavy-Duty Products

by Katie Lee

Baltimore, Md. — Vulcan, a leading provider of commercial cooking equipment, has named Alex Piñero as project manager – custom and heavy-duty products for the company. The new hire is part of Vulcan’s efforts to enhance the customer experience with a new design team. The new Vulcan design team is led by industry veteran Dan Montgomery, Vulcan’s director of consultant and design services. As the newest member of the design team, Piñero will be working with the company’s CAD/Revit Designer and will be the point of contact for the management …

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Foot Locker to Close More Than 400 Stores

by Katie Lee

New York City — Foot Locker will close more than 400 underperforming stores as part of its “Lace Up” plan, announced during the company’s 2023 Investor Day call. According to Tony Aversa, senior vice president of global store development, the move is part of a strategy to manage portfolio risk by way of strategic closures. The company currently operates 2,700 locations, which will be reduced to approximately 2,400 by 2026, a number which also reflects the planned addition of stores in new formats. Despite the closures, Foot Locker intends to …

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Shipley Do-Nuts Opens First Georgia Location

by Katie Lee

Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts, makers of gourmet, made-fresh-daily do-nuts for more than 85 years, is bringing its famous do-nuts to Georgia for the first time with the opening of its new location in Cumming at 3225 Keith Bridge Rd. The shop is locally owned and operated by Oziel “Ozzie” Rodriguez, who also owns Coal Mountain Package Store and Palapas Bar and Grill in Forsyth County, Ga. Houston-based Shipley Do-Nuts is beloved throughout the South for its more than 60 varieties of fresh, hot do-nuts, as well as kolaches (savory breakfast …

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Unlimited Access

by Katie Lee

— By Hayden Spiess —   Wild Birds Unlimited offers backyard bird feeding retail for an increasingly diverse customer base, with a growing flock of franchised locations.     Jim Carpenter’s aspirations were not always avian in nature. The founder and CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited originally had his sights set on medical school. However, in 1981 he pivoted, opening the first Wild Birds Unlimited store in Indianapolis, driven by a passion for nature and birding. This same passion unites Wild Bird Unlimited store owners, managers and customers across the …

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