Wilmington, N.C. — Clean Eatz, one of the nation’s leading wellness concepts in the QSR space, is on pace to achieve a rate of expansion in 2022 that will surpass any year prior for the restaurant franchise. The guiding metric for the brand’s success leading into 2023 is to establish 100 active locations by year-end. The franchise has signed 15 new agreements over the course of the past several months, bringing the total in development to over 80 headed into the third quarter. In addition, the brand has seen five …
Katie Lee
— By Rodney Jarboe — How modular trash enclosures keep dumpsters out of sight, but not out of mind. In the not-so-distant past, almost nobody was paying attention to the design or materials used for dumpster enclosure construction. A dumpster is a dumpster, right? Cover it up! These days dumpster enclosures are getting more attention due to three key factors. Key Factors Affecting Trash Enclosures First, the enclosures themselves are taking up a larger footprint than ever before due to the new recycling bin requirements in addition to the …
San Francisco — IT’SUGAR has opened a new 10,600-square-foot pop-up candy store in Union Square, bringing a sweet welcome to visitors in downtown San Francisco’s mecca of shopping. The new experiential candy store takes over space vacated by Forever 21, the clothing brand, and is filled with thousands of varieties of over-the-top chocolates, candy and humorous products, plus Instagram-worthy in-store displays and immersive candy experiences. “We are excited to expand our presence in the vibrant city of San Francisco with our third IT’SUGAR location,” says Jeff Rubin, CEO and founder …
Charlotte, N.C. — Bojangles, the iconic Southern brand, is marking 45 years in business. As part of the milestone anniversary, Bojangles is launching its first-ever charitable foundation, which will promote literacy and honor the military. Beginning July 6, the day the company was founded in 1977, the Southern food chain famously known for its chicken, biscuits and tea is officially unveiling The Bojangles Foundation Fund, which will focus resources and time toward community efforts with an emphasis on the brand’s two major pillars: literacy and the military. For its first …
— By Kristin Hiller — As the nation emerges on the other side of the pandemic, the retail and restaurant industries are tasked with adapting their store designs and business models to match consumer behavioral shifts. Shoppers and diners alike want to make purchases easily with multiple options for ordering and pickup. Border Foods, one of the largest privately held Taco Bell franchisees in America, enlisted the services of Minneapolis-based design consultancy Vertical Works Inc. in 2020 to create a new restaurant design. The result was Defy, a two-story …
North Plainfield, N.J. – The Levin name has been synonymous with New Jersey retail real estate since the post-WWII suburban migration sparked the Garden State’s first open-air shopping center developments. Seven decades later, as Levin Management Corporation (LMC) commemorates the platinum anniversary of its foundation, the North Plainfield, N.J.-based commercial real estate services organization is embracing a period of notable growth and portfolio diversification. LMC is an outgrowth of Levin Properties, a pioneering development firm founded by the late Philip J. Levin and subsequently led by the late Janice Levin, …
League City, Texas — Pokemoto, Muscle Maker, Inc.’s expanding Hawaiian poke bowl restaurant concept, has signed a new Pokemoto franchise agreement for the Gallatin, Tenn., market near Nashville. This new franchise agreement marks the first entry for Pokemoto into Tennessee. Pokemoto has now signed 40 new franchise agreements and continues to focus its growth strategy on franchising while also opening company-owned “seed” locations in select markets. The Hawaiian poke chain currently has eight locations in the development and construction stages along with multiple LOIs submitted for lease negotiations. “We’re excited …
Union, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has promoted Laura Crossen to senior vice president of finance and chief accounting officer, and Susie A. Kim to senior vice president of treasury and investor relations, effective immediately. Crossen has been with Bed Bath & Beyond since 2001 and most recently served as senior vice president, treasury, tax and finance transformation. She will continue to report to Gustavo Arnal, executive vice president and chief financial officer, and replaces John Barresi, who resigned from the company on June 10 to pursue another …
Wichita, Kan. — Fast-casual restaurant concept Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers® plans to further expand its Texas footprint with 57 new locations added to its development pipeline. The stores are set to be built throughout the state in markets that include Dallas/Fort Worth and several counties in both East and West Texas. This announcement comes on the heels of the brand’s debut in North and South Dakota. “Our 63 operating locations in Texas have continued to perform exceptionally well, and we have witnessed firsthand how Freddy’s resonates with the local …
— By Matt Smitheman — Protecting lone workers in a retail or restaurant setting. As retailers and restaurants continue to revamp their business models to keep pace with customer expectations, many are increasingly relying on lone workers for opening, closing, third shifts, curbside deliveries and other customer interactions outside of the traditional store premises. While lone employees play a critical role in keeping these businesses up and running, they are more at risk of encountering threats at work with an estimated 48% of HR professionals reporting that their organization …