Coralville, Iowa — As Pancheros continues to see increased month-over-month sales, loyalty program growth and three new restaurant openings, the brand has hired two new executives to lead its operations strategy as it ramps up for growth and expansion. Erik Ivey has been appointed as vice president of operations and Saúl Muñiz has been named director of operations. “Pancheros is focused on bringing the right group of people to the table,” says Rodney Anderson, president at Pancheros Mexican Grill. “Erik and Saúl have shown great integrity and will bring a …
— By Fabio Vitali — Protecting your brand in a precarious time. As businesses open their doors following COVID-19-related closures, they face a range of new challenges. From sourcing essential supplies and meeting the increased demand for cleaning to adjusting building capacities and employee schedules, businesses will need to adapt to new standards while protecting their brand image. Three elements — hand hygiene, clean surfaces and environmental responsibility — can all support brand protection during a delicate reopening process, because they all reduce risk in some way. In Good …
Pittsburgh — Dick’s Sporting Goods plans to open 11 stores in nine states by the end of August. The Pittsburgh-based retailer will open stores in Hyannis and Brockton, Mass.; Deptford, N.J.; and Midland, Texas. It will also open a Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy location in Atlanta. Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse locations will open in Orland Park, Ill.; Englewood, Colo.; Fairfax, Va.; Amherst, N.Y.; and Brockton, Mass. A new Overtime by Dick’s Sporting Goods outlet will open in Tempe, Ariz. Following the store openings, Dick’s will have 729 Dick’s …
Rockville, Md. — To make indoor dining comfortable again and to honor its commitment to employee and customer health and wellness during the coronavirus pandemic, Silver Diner founders are installing a unique, Veteran LED customized interior air filtration and purification system to make dining indoors as close you can come to outdoor dining. This is the first time this comprehensive and customized system has been used in restaurants. The system includes germicidal UV-C light, bipolar ionization technology and HEPA filtration. Air purifiers, mounted throughout each restaurant, work to continuously clean …
Kansas City, Kan. — Urban Outfitters plans to develop a $350 million omnichannel distribution center near Kansas City. The 880,000-square-foot development will be located on ancillary land owned by the Kansas Speedway in Wyandotte County, roughly 15 miles outside downtown Kansas City. The Philadelphia-based retailer is set to begin construction on the facility this fall with completion scheduled for early 2022. Documents obtained by The Kansas City Star identify Hillwood Development Co. as the developer for the project. Fort Worth, Texas-based Hillwood is led by Ross Perot Jr., son of …
Detroit — Little Caesars Pizza, one of the largest pizza chains in the world, is continuing its international expansion with its first restaurants in Colombia. The global brand, which currently operates in 27 countries and territories, including in Peru and Chile in South America, will open two stores in Bogotá this month. The restaurants in Colombia are owned and operated by LCPZ Colombia S.A.S., which is part of the Pequeño Caesarmex family of companies, which also owns and operates Little Caesars locations in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. …
Franklin, Mass. — Imperial Dade, a leading national distributor of foodservice packaging and janitorial supplies, has opened a new warehouse facility in Franklin, Mass. The more than 300,000-square-foot warehouse offers direct access to the greater New England area. The facility is the 34th location for Imperial Dade and will support the company’s expanding customer base and continued growth in the Northeast. “Moving into our fourth brand new state-of-the-art supersite in 5 years, we are excited to make another step in creating the region’s leading provider of foodservice packaging and janitorial …
Plano, Texas — At Home, a home décor and furnishings retailer, posted net sales of $515 million in its fiscal second quarter, which ended July 25, and is reportedly looking to expand its footprint. That figure represents a 42% year-over-year increase in comparable store sales. At Home CEO Lee Bird told CNBC the first weekend in August that the company has been expanding its store count by about 20% per year over the last 7 years, and that it could grow from its current 219 stores to as many as 600. …
— By Paul Bothner — Proper water heater selection impacts your restaurant’s bottom line. As the restaurant industry reopens its doors after the national shutdown, owners are even more focused on improving operating profits. One area of evaluation needs to be the generation of hot water, as it is among the largest — and, in some cases, the Number 1 — energy consumer of all installed appliances within hospitality facilities, particularly restaurants. For this reason, higher efficiency, condensing water heater designs comprise the majority of installations on new construction …
— By Elizabeth Orlieb — HVAC systems are no longer an afterthought post COVID-19 lockdown. Discussions on HVAC systems and maintenance best practices have become prominent amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With this development comes the recognition that HVAC in commercial buildings can no longer be an afterthought post COVID-19 lockdown, particularly as it relates to adhering to maintenance best practices and enhancing maintenance programs. Business owners, facility managers and maintenance personnel need to be aware and know the implications of the new recommended HVAC controls for COVID-19 mitigation. While …