Atlanta and Canton, Mass. — Inspire Brands has agreed to acquire fast-food breakfast chain Dunkin’ Brands in a transaction valued at $11.3 billion. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. Atlanta-based Inspire Brands is the parent company of restaurant chains such as Arby’s, Jimmy John’s, Sonic Drive-In and Buffalo Wild Wings. In addition to its namesake coffee and breakfast chain, Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin’ Brands also owns ice cream parlor chain Baskin-Robbins, which respectively have about 12,500 and 8,000 locations worldwide. Dunkin’ has about 9,600 locations …
Dallas — MUTTS Canine Cantina®, a fast-growing pet eatertainment brand that provides a unique urban oasis for dogs and their owners, has signed a multi-unit franchise deal to bring locations to El Paso, Texas, and Tucson, Ariz. New franchisee April Mendoza of Pups and Pals, LLC, plans to open multiple MUTTS® locations, with a focus on the Southwest I-10 corridor. “It is an exciting time to join the MUTTS Canine Cantina family. While 2020 has been a year filled with unexpected challenges, one thing is certain — people have been …
Seattle — Amazon.com, Inc. plans to open its first fulfillment center in Waco, Texas, which is anticipated to launch in 2021 and will create over 1,000 new full-time jobs with industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits. “We are proud to be bringing our newest Amazon facility to the city of Waco and we look forward to bringing in new jobs and supporting this great community,” says Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment. “We are excited for our future in Central Texas, and for what this means for …
— By Michelle Egan — What you need to know when adding or updating curbside pickup service. Prior to the pandemic, it could be argued that many (if not most) restaurants offered takeout while some actually had curbside pickup. The same could be said about some retailers that, in an effort to outpace competitors with stellar customer service, had already introduced online or phone ordering with in-store pickup or in-car delivery. However, curbside pickup today has shifted from being a nice-to-have to a must-have as consumers continue to seek …
— By Dan Villalpando — Key retail lease provisions to revisit in light of COVID-19. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced many retailers to close their doors to customers beginning in March 2020, just as the overall economy was pushed into unprecedented disarray. Because of these circumstances and questions surrounding the unusual situation where municipalities were ordering stores to close, landlords and tenants looked to the four corners of their leases to determine their rights and obligations. Certain key lease provisions, like force majeure clauses, insurance provisions and …
Dallas and San Francisco — PICKUP, a leading last-mile delivery service and logistics platform, has partnered with Postmates to provide retailers and brands with the ability to elegantly scale local delivery capability to meet surging demand for store-to-door delivery. PICKUP Enterprise manages the end-to-end customer experience including access to the top-rated PICKUP Good Guy network, which specializes in delivery and assembly of big and heavy goods. The partnership between PICKUP and Postmates will further expand retailer’s fulfillment capabilities for all items — from holiday décor and gifts, to furniture. “Our …
Chicago — Dickey’s Barbecue Pit unveiled its first virtual kitchen on Oct. 30 in Chicago. This model, which services guests solely through online ordering and third-party delivery, is the first of its kind to open for the Texas-based, family-owned franchise. Barbecue fans in the surrounding 10-mile area can get their Dickey’s fix by ordering delivery directly to their doorstep through www.dickeys.com or the Dickey’s app. “As an industry leader we are continually adapting our restaurant models to fit the needs of both the economic climate and the fluctuations of guest …
Austin, Texas — Quality men’s apparel brand Texas Standard has opened its first-ever retail store, located in the Hyde Park area of Austin, Texas, which also contains its corporate offices. Texas Standard is a men’s premium clothing brand designed and developed in Texas, known as the “Outfitters of the Texas Gentleman.” It offers a wide range of menswear products, including button- down shirts, polos, tees, gameday gear, accessories and its newest additions: the Tejas Guayabera and Modern Western Shirts. While the brand is offered through dozens of retail partners throughout …
Chadds Ford, Pa. — RWS Facility Services (RWS), a provider of recycling, waste and managed facilities solutions for commercial and residential businesses, has appointed Danica Sierra to the role of business development manager. Sierra brings to RWS more than 20 years in the environmental services industry and is an expert in recycling and waste, environmental compliance and disposal for commercial, healthcare and residential facilities. In her new role, Sierra will work with RWS clients on selecting and implementing cost-effective recycling, waste and facilities services. Sierra launched her career with Waste …
Nantucket, Mass. — Oath Pizza, known for serving better-for-you craft pizza at 60 locations throughout the United States, opened its first ghost kitchen on Oct. 16. The pickup and delivery-only location is located at 1308 W. Girard Ave. in Philadelphia. “We are thrilled to open our first-ever ghost kitchen to offer safe and delicious contactless pick-up and delivery options to residents of the Greater Philadelphia area,” says Drew Kellogg, CEO of Oath Pizza. “This opening is one of many unique ways we continue to pivot during these changing times. We’re …