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 …
New York City — Steak n Shake Inc. is bringing to market 15 restaurants the company closed during the last 12 months. Keen-Summit Capital Partners LLC and NAI Global have been retained to run a sale process of the portfolio with a bid deadline of August 31 and auction date of September 4. It is anticipated additional properties will be sold by Keen-Summit Capital Partners through an auction during September. “Real estate investors and restaurants looking to expand their portfolio are in a position to take advantage of this opportunity, …
Findlay, Ohio — Marathon Petroleum Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement with 7-Eleven Inc., whereby 7-Eleven will acquire the convenience store chain Speedway for $21 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021. Ohio-based Marathon expects the sale to result in after-tax cash proceeds of approximately $16.5 billion and to use the proceeds to both repay debt and return capital to shareholders. The arrangement includes a 15-year fuel supply agreement for approximately 7.7 billion gallons per year associated with the Speedway business. …
Aventura, Fla. — Not many restaurants can triple in size during a global pandemic, but Smokey Bones is doing just that by expanding its virtual restaurants, The Wing Experience and The Burger Experience, to all of its brick-and-mortar restaurants. The virtual restaurants are delivery-only and operate out of existing Smokey Bones’ brick-and-mortar kitchens, and out of the Smokey Bones’ ghost kitchen in Chicago. The menus feature Smokey Bones’ burgers and wings, including unique recipes created specifically for each virtual restaurant brand. “By opening these new virtual restaurants, we can shine …
Atlanta — The Home Depot® will open three new distribution centers in Georgia over the next 18 months to support the growing demand for flexible delivery and pickup options for professional and do-it-yourself (DIY) customers. The expansion is projected to bring approximately 1,000 additional jobs to the Atlanta area. “Retail has changed more in the past 4 years than in our company’s 40-year history. Customers expect to shop whenever, wherever and however they want — whether they’re buying a hammer or a pallet of pavers,” says Stephanie Smith, senior vice …
Dallas — Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is rapidly expanding its non-traditional store count with the development of seven new food trucks units. The 79-year-old barbecue franchise reports an uptick in interest from both new and existing franchisees in its food truck model as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to make an impact on restaurant dining rooms. “The pandemic is sure to have a lasting impact on consumer behavior and as a legacy brand it’s important to us that we continue to meet the evolving needs of our guests, while staying true to …