— By Julie Fields — With cooler temperatures on the horizon, restaurants will be forced to find indoor dining solutions. Restaurants have been through the wringer since the Coronavirus pandemic reached the United States earlier this year. We have seen new trends that we never would have imagined, such as an increase in takeout from traditional dine-in restaurants. Many restaurants have also seen a huge surge in outdoor dining, as many customers feel safer sitting in the open air. However, as winter approaches and temperatures begin to drop, outdoor …
Union, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has named John Welling as senior vice president (SVP), merchandise planning, allocation & operations, effective immediately. Welling will report to Joe Hartsig, Bed Bath & Beyond’s chief merchandising officer (CMO), and president of Harmon Health & Beauty Stores. Welling will be responsible for helping lead the transformation of Bed Bath & Beyond’s inventory planning and replenishment strategy, a core pillar in the company’s strategic growth plan. This includes implementing enhanced merchandising processes and inventory systems to improve in-stock levels and turn times, …
Irvine, Calif. — Juice It Up!, a leading handcrafted smoothie, açaí bowl and raw juice franchise, has experienced strong growth in same store sales (SSS) and average unit volumes (AUVs) in 2020. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, through October 2020, SSS for the year have increased by 13%, with SSS for the third quarter just ended September 2020 up 19%. Most significantly, the brand’s top 50% of franchised locations now have an AUV approaching $600,000 while the brand’s top 25% of franchised locations have seen their AUV expand …
San Francisco — Gap Inc. has hired Asheesh Saksena to join the Gap Inc. senior leadership team as chief growth officer, a newly created position that will focus on executing the company’s strategic agenda, as well as leading growth initiatives for the future. In addition, the company also named Sandra Stangl as the new president and CEO of Banana Republic. Saksena most recently served as president of Best Buy Health where he led the formation and operation of the brand’s strategic diversification into digital health after serving as the company’s …
Plano, Texas — Former restaurant and entertainment executive, Ted Beaman, along with his 20-year business partners, Sean McCullough and Greg Stevens, are shifting careers from the entertainment industry to open 10 MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a Plano, Texas-based “better burger” concept, across the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Eight of the 10 locations will be new, whereas the other two locations — in Flower Mound and Frisco, Texas — are being acquired and remodeled. All 10 of these locations will feature the brand’s new prototype with new dining zones, digital …
Westlake Village, Calif. — Musical instrument retailer Guitar Center has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The Westlake Village-based company did not announce plans to close any of its 297 stores, but it has retained A&G Real Estate Partners to explore opportunities for its real estate portfolio. In court filings, Guitar Center cited its business of instrument purchases, rentals, repairs and music lessons suffered amid the upheaval stemming from government-mandated shutdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The …
Athens, Ga. — Zaxby’s Operating Company L.P. (Zaxby’s) and its subsidiaries have announced that investment funds managed by the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division (Goldman Sachs) will acquire a significant stake in the company. The partnership will support accelerated growth for Zaxby’s as well as expansion into new sales channels with a guest-focused strategy. The deal is expected to be finalized by year end 2020. Zaxby’s, the fast-casual chain known for its chicken fingers, wings and signature sauces, operates primarily in the Southeastern United States, with more than 900 restaurants …
St. Louis — Construction is complete on two new $1.2 million Jiffy Lube centers in Sycamore and Springfield, Ill. Knoebel Construction served as the general contractor for the 3,500-square-foot automotive service centers and completed all of the pre-construction site work. Knoebel has been selected to build six additional Jiffy Lube locations in four Midwestern states for Stonebriar Auto Services, a Jiffy Lube franchisee. Those locations in Cape Girardeau, Mo.; Nixa, Mo.; Lake Hallie, Wis.; Manitowoc, Wis.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; and Machesney, Ill., and will complete in early 2021. Each location features …
Atlanta — The Hummus & Pita Co., a leading Mediterranean fast-casual concept, opened its first location in the South — near Perimeter Mall in Atlanta — on Nov. 21. This is the first of three franchised locations opening in the Southeast before year’s end, and as part of a five-location deal with franchise group Premier Kings, Inc., one of the largest Burger King franchisees in the country. Additional locations in Huntsville and Montgomery, Ala., are set to open in the coming weeks. “We saw a great opportunity in The Hummus …
— By Patricia Hottel, BCE — All pests will have certain environmental preferences and survival needs. When the right conditions are met, pests thrive. Sanitation, employee practices, facility processes, and structural and equipment design can either hinder or help pest’s survival. In fact, not all areas within a facility will meet the needs of the pest equally and certain areas will have a higher risk for pest development than others. Here is a list of some of the 10 most common areas of pest activity by product type, structural …