Richardson, Texas — ENTOUCH, an IoT-based Energy Management Solutions (EMS) leader, has released its most comprehensive suite of convenience store solutions to date. The Octane series offers convenience stores a preconfigured yet fully customizable suite of EMS tools designed to drive the most return from energy management and operational efficiency for multisite convenience store operators. In developing the OCTANE series, the ENTOUCH team focused on five critical areas required by best-in-class convenience store operators: Providing insight into existing equipment. Predictive reporting to identify when issues should be addressed before failure. …
Katie Lee
Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has agreed to acquire Global Franchise Group, which franchises and operates a portfolio of five quick-service restaurant concepts — Round Table Pizza, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Marble Slab Creamery and Pretzelmaker — from Serruya Private Equity, Inc. and Lion Capital LLP, for $442.5 million in cash and stock. The transaction is expected to close by the end of July 2021. With the acquisition of GFG, FAT Brands will have more than 2,000 franchised and company owned restaurants …
Dedham, Mass. — BoConcept, a global leader of the furniture franchise industry with more than 300 locations in 65 countries, is adding a new location in Dedham, Mass., this week. The store will feature a refreshed, evolved store concept that offers customers an elevated take on the shopping experience, including consultations with expert interior designers, the ability to view and customize items from a vast collection of items, and the ability to create a 3D rendering of the space the customer would like to design. The Dedham BoConcept will be …
Vancouver, Wash. — Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza has launched two major rebranding initiatives: the new ‘Kitchen Delite’ store design — an open-kitchen concept that enhances the in-store experience for consumers and employees alike — and a new primary brand logo. This is Papa Murphy’s first introduction of a new store design since 2014 and its first logo update in more than a decade. “The ‘Kitchen Delite’ store remodel program is available for all stores nationwide, and we are so excited to showcase its many benefits,” says Victoria Tullett, senior vice …
New York City — Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a global brand owner, marketing and entertainment company, has agreed to purchase the Heritage Brands portfolio from PVH Corp. Through the transaction, ABG will own and manage the intellectual property of Izod, Van Heusen, Arrow and other distinguished brands. “This acquisition was particularly attractive because of PVH’s well-established partnerships for these heritage brands,” says Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO of ABG. “Each brand has strong consumer recognition, global distribution anchored at leading retailers and robust product programs with best-in-class licensing partners. …
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse to Open in Pittsburgh’s Historic Union Trust Building
Pittsburgh – The Davis Companies (TDC) and Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc., owned by Tilman J. Fertitta and family, plan to open a Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in September 2022 in the recently restored Union Trust Building in downtown Pittsburgh. Del Frisco’s reaffirmed its 15-year commitment, which will occupy 11,032 square feet of first floor and mezzanine-level space at the prime corner of Fifth Avenue and William Penn Place. The restaurant’s upper and lower dining rooms will be connected by the restoration of an existing grand marble staircase. The …
Minneapolis — Target Corporation has unveiled Target Forward, the company’s new sustainability strategy that builds on the retailer’s legacy of corporate responsibility and sustainable practices. “As a company and a member of the global community, it’s imperative for both the health of our business and of our planet that we embrace new ways to move forward,” says Brian Cornell, chairman and chief executive officer of Target. “We know sustainability is tied to business resiliency and growth, and that our size and scale can drive change that is good for all. …
— By Joe Pazdan, AIA — Open-air restaurant and music venue thrives through COVID-19. The restaurant business is notoriously fickle, but the COVID-19 pandemic dealt death-blows to thousands of establishments across the country as they struggled to stay afloat through mandated closures, capacity limits and an overall downturn in patronage. So how did Gather GVL, a live music venue with a courtyard gathering spot bounded by restaurants in repurposed shipping containers, not only survive opening for business during the early days of the pandemic, but continue to thrive during …
— By Katie Lee — How Cincinnati-based boutique retailer, Pet Wants, is both a growing cause and a growing company. We’ve heard all about the pandemic’s doom-and-gloom effect on retail, but 2020 actually ended up being a boon to the pet industry. As record numbers of people in quarantine opened their homes to four-legged friends, pet stores continued to be essential businesses in high demand. What a pet needs and what a pet wants are embodied in an up-and-coming Cincinnati-based retailer, Pet Wants, a boutique franchise of high-quality pet …
Greenwood, Ind., and Oklahoma City — Rally House, a family-owned sports and merchandise retailer, has opened its first stores in Indiana and Oklahoma. The Indiana store opened at Greenwood Park Mall in Indianapolis in mid-June (pictured here). The Oklahoma store is located at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City. “With locations in Chicago, Dayton and Cincinnati, Indianapolis is a natural fit for our expansion. Indiana has sports in the DNA with so many teams and events hosted here annually,” says CEO Aaron Liebert. “Rally House is a one-stop shop for …