— By Cindy Price — Before you start, find out the local sign codes and regulations. One of the first things to do before opening up a business is to get a sign. Without a sign, you simply won’t exist in the eyes of the consumer. Signs also have a huge impact on your revenue stream. So where do you start and what do you need to consider? One of the first things you’ll need to do is find out what your local sign codes and regulations are …
— By Dale Manning — The future of sustainable manufacturing is a hybrid approach. If you’re in the retail business, one of your worst nightmares is being stuck with boxes and boxes of unsold inventory taking up space in your warehouse. Wasted stock can be a huge cost to your bottom line and pose serious risks to your business. For eco-conscious brands, a lot of unsold inventory is also detrimental to the environment, especially if the products are textile-based. Of the more than 100 billion items of clothing produced …
Irving, Texas — Mongolian Concepts, the powerhouse management group behind three renowned create-your-own bowl brands — Genghis Grill, FlatTop Grill and bd’s Mongolian Grill — has promoted industry vet Lori Cominsky to vice president of operations and training. She’ll play a pivotal role in the continued success and growth of the Mongolian Concepts brands. “We are thrilled about the new leadership team we’re putting together, and what this means for Mongolian Concepts,” says Gregg Majewski, CEO of Mongolian Concepts. “2022 is going to be a great year for us as …
Charlotte, N.C. — Maaco, North America’s body shop and a leader in the $38 billion automotive paint and collision industry, is celebrating its 50th year of business on the heels of a record-breaking year. Founded in 1972 by Anthony Martino, Maaco began its operations with a pilot location in Wilmington, Del. In less than 5 years, Maaco quickly grew to nearly 200 franchised locations. “With our loyal customers, our dedicated network of owners and our time-honored brand name, Maaco has proven that we can stand the test of time,” says …
Irvine, Calif. — Wienerschnitzel, the world’s largest hot dog franchise, has signed an exclusive development agreement with Tejas Dogs, LLC, to build 20 new Wienerschnitzel restaurants throughout Arkansas over the next 12 years. The Tejas Dogs agreement follows a separate 20-unit announcement by the brand in 2020 to develop throughout Louisiana and paves the way for Wienerschnitzel to further expand its iconic quick-service footprint throughout Southern and Midwestern states. There are already plans to begin building three stores in northwest Arkansas to jumpstart the development schedule. “With personal roots in …
Los Angeles — On January 19, Forever 21 named Winnie Park as chief executive officer (CEO) of the fashion brand. The appointment is effective immediately. Park joins Forever 21 from Paper Source, where she served as CEO for the past 6 years. Park’s tenure at Paper Source is marked by transforming the brand from a brick-and-mortar retailer to a lifestyle brand with a robust digital platform spanning social, digital content, online subscriptions and affiliate partnerships. She also led the successful sale of the brand to an affiliate of Barnes & …
Glendale, Calif. — Dine Brands International plans to open its first IHOP® in Nassau, The Bahamas, in late 2022 through an agreement with Bahamas Limited, which also calls for 16 IHOP restaurant openings in the Caribbean over the next few years. “We are excited to bring IHOP to the English-speaking Caribbean islands. We’ve seen success in Puerto Rico and believe guests in this new market are sure to fall in love with the brand’s world-famous pancakes and familiar comfort foods,” says William Urrego, regional vice president of franchise operations, Dine …
Trooper, Pa. — BrandPoint Services, a leading provider of facility maintenance, remodeling, renovation, digital signage and construction services, has acquired ProGroup Contracting, a leading provider of painting and remodeling services. Both companies serve multi-site commercial clients as they partner with top brands across North America in the retail, restaurant, banking, hospitality, healthcare, grocery and entertainment industries, on their facility needs. BrandPoint Services provides facility maintenance and repair, refresh and remodeling projects, digital signage, rollouts and construction services across the U.S. and Canada. BrandPoint works with over a third of the …
Seattle — Following the U.S. e-commerce launch of the women’s fashionable comfort footwear brand, FRANKiE4 has announced the opening of its new store and U.S. headquarters in Capitol Hill, one of Seattle’s hippest neighborhoods. FRANKiE4 Footwear has grown from its Australian roots with a focus on footwear fashion grounded in game-changing, patent-designed foot support. The store offers the full FRANKiE4 collection of luxe leather footwear: sneakers, dress flats, sandals, heels and boots. Private, expert fittings will be offered for customers to have a personalized experience that proves comfort shouldn’t be …
Dallas — Bonchon, a popular global restaurant concept known for its flavorful Korean fried chicken, is celebrating a year filled with new market expansion and growth, positive sales figures, a new fast-casual model and two decades in business. First establishing itself in the U.S. in 2006, Bonchon is heading into 2022 with rapid franchise growth plans to add 30 new locations with the help of multi-unit operators in thoughtfully selected growth markets. The brand has confirmed new development agreements covering Illinois, Colorado, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, New York, Minnesota, Tennessee …
