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Katie Lee

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Toast Restaurant Q1 Trends Report: Dine-In Growth Surges, Takeout and Delivery Decline

by Katie Lee

Boston — Toast, the all-in-one digital platform built for restaurants, has unveiled its Q1 Restaurant Trends Report, providing visibility into the overall state of the restaurant industry through aggregated sales data from restaurants on the Toast platform, which serves approximately 62,000 locations in the U.S. In Q1, the operating environment continued to change rapidly for restaurant operators — pandemic restrictions lifted throughout the U.S., leading to a surge in guests dining in, all while the industry continued to face a sustained labor shortage alongside rising input prices due to supply …

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Superior Group of Companies Names Retail Operations Veteran as its New CFO

by Katie Lee

Seminole, Fla. — Superior Group of Companies, Inc. has appointed Michael Koempel to the role of chief financial officer (CFO), effective May 31, 2022. He previously served as COO of various major retail brands. Koempel, with more than 30 years of broad financial experience, has an impressive record of building and scaling high growth apparel and retail brands. Most recently, Koempel was chief operating officer of IT’SUGAR®, one of the largest specialty candy retailers in the U.S. Prior to that, Koempel served as chief operating officer of Victoria’s Secret Lingerie, …

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construction and designIndustry Voices

Catalyst for Transformation

by Katie Lee

— By John Gajewski, MRICS — Retail strategies for leveraging historic assets to build a competitive edge.   In a highly competitive, complex and dynamically shifting retail market, all eyes are on innovative solutions, and the conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic have provided a catalyst for transformation. Takeout eateries and online megastores dominate the retail market based on convenience, selection and pricing. Traditional retailers must compete on alternative measures. Urban Outfitters, RH (formerly known as Restoration Hardware) and The Old Spaghetti Factory, some of the brick-and-mortar retailers that have …

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Veeve and Albertsons Partner to Expand AI-Powered Shopping Carts

by Katie Lee

Seattle — Veeve Inc., a leading retail technology startup, has formed an agreement with Albertsons Companies that will make Veeve Smart Carts available to customers at a few dozen stores across the country. Once launched later this year, consumers will be able to use the smart carts to skip the checkout line with a fast, convenient and contactless way to shop. Veeve Smart Carts feature a touch screen that provides a running total for in-cart items and a built-in scale for easy produce purchase. The tech-enhanced carts will also integrate …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Kohl’s Plans to Open 100 Smaller-Format Stores, Revitalize Existing Locations

by Katie Lee

Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Kohl’s plans to increase its investment in brick-and-mortar with the addition of 100 new, smaller-format locations over the next 4 years in previously untapped markets. This expansion follows the pilot of 20 stores featuring the company’s smaller-format design, which averages around 35,000 square feet versus the traditional 80,000-square-foot iteration. In June, the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based company will be opening a smaller-format shop in Bonney Lake, Wash., and in the fall, stores are set to open in San Angelo, Texas; Morgantown, W.Va.; Tacoma, Wash.; and Lenox, Mass. …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop to Open 12 Locations in Miami

by Katie Lee

North Beach, Fla. — Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop will debut a new location in North Beach (Miami), Fla., on May 30. It is expected to be the first of 12 new locations to open in the area. The North Beach location is owned by the local Roca family of entrepreneurs. During the pandemic, the Rocas had all five nuclear family members together in Miami from different corners of the country. It was during this unexpected time that they decided to band together to bring their favorite food brand from Las Vegas …

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Independent Appliance Retailer Recruits 2 Executives to Leadership Team

by Katie Lee

La Habra, Calif. — Howard’s, Southern California’s premier independent appliance retailer, has added Joy Banducci and Daryl Massy to its senior leadership team. Banducci joins the company as chief financial officer & technology officer, and Massy as senior vice president & chief merchant. “Banducci brings more than 20 years of experience in finance, systems, IT and project management/operations,” says John Riddle, CEO of Howard’s. She comes to the company from Swann Communications where she served as CFO. Swann Communications is a global leader in smart home security systems that partners …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

FAT Brands Inc. to Acquire Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip®

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has agreed to acquire the franchised chain of stores known as Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® from Crest Foods, Inc. and rebrand the stores as Great American Cookies. The acquisition is expected to increase FAT Brands’ foothold as a leader in the dessert category within the cookie and ice cream spaces, joining its existing Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery brands. Crest Foods currently franchises approximately 85 Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® cafés across the U.S. This acquisition …

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Mill 77 Exchange Expands New England Footprint with Flagship Store in New Hampshire

by Katie Lee

North Hampton, N.H. — Mill 77 Holdings LLC is expanding its Mill 77 Exchange brand, enlarging its New England footprint with a new flagship store in North Hampton, N.H. This new location, a former Staples building, spans 20,000 square feet and is the brand’s largest location yet. This addition is the fifth location of the Mill 77 Brand of home furniture and décor. “There’s no doubt that our new flagship store in New Hampshire is the look and feel of our future,” says founder Gary Bergeron. “Today’s customer is looking …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurantssoftware/technology

Zaxby’s Hires CDO and Elevates Interim Chief Digital & Technology Officer

by Katie Lee

Athens, Ga. — Zaxby’s, the premium quick-service restaurant brand founded in Athens, Ga., has hired industry franchising veteran Mike Mettler as its new chief development officer, while Mike Nettles, interim chief digital & technology officer, has been elevated to the position long term. “Franchising growth requires four things. A strong business model, a solid culture, passionate franchise owners and strategic areas to develop — Zaxby’s has them all,” says Mettler. Adds Nettles: “Zaxby’s has had a great ride thus far, but digital accessibility will be our ‘secret sauce’ for the …

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