— By Brendan Kennedy — What retail businesses must do in a post-COVID world. It’s heartbreaking to see the devastation COVID-19 has had on the world, but especially for retailers and their employees abruptly impacted by the virtual halt of in-store commerce. From the small mom-and-pop shops to the big department stores, retailers are struggling to adapt business to “lockdown” status quo. Customers, too, have had their lives turned upside down with lines around the corner just to go into grocery stores, floor markers for 6 feet of social …
Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart, in partnership with Tribeca Enterprises, is creating a touring drive-in movie theater that will transform 160 Walmart parking lots into contactless outdoor cinemas. There, in the parking lots, customers can safely gather to watch movies programmed by the Tribeca Drive-in team. “Summer hasn’t really felt like summer yet, and I know I hear every day, ‘Mom, I’m bored!’” says Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer, Walmart. “We’re hoping to bring some summer fun to families across the country. We know Walmart plays a role in our communities …
Helena, Mont. — Slim Chickens, a leading fast-casual franchise which features dine-in and drive-thru in the “better chicken” segment, is expanding into Montana. Mike Sartwell, who is an existing multi-unit franchisee with Slim Chickens, is bringing four new restaurants to Montana. The first location, which is a conversion, will be located at 1450 Prospect Ave. in Helena. Sartwell has an extensive portfolio of restaurants across North Dakota, Montana, Missouri and Illinois. His portfolio consists of quick-service and fast-casual brands. “Our group has developed Slim Chickens restaurants in North Dakota, and …
Minneapolis — Leading casual and quick-serve restaurant brand veteran Aric Nissen has joined Restaurant Technologies as chief marketing officer. Previously, Nissen served as vice president of revenue management for Subway, helping build out revenue strategies for the global chain. His role at Restaurant Technologies, a top provider of foodservice cooking oil and hood and flue management solutions, will be to lead the company marketing efforts through the next stages of growth, following on the successful acquisitions of AutoMist and Grease Lock. These solutions, along with the company’s flagship Total Oil …
Leawood, Kan. — AMC Theatres has delayed its U.S. reopening date until July 30. The company will resume operations of 450 U.S. theaters as part of a phased plan that is expected to bring the 600-plus U.S. theaters to full operation by early August. AMC says the new reopening date aligns with updated release timing for major movies such as “Tenet” on Aug. 12 and “Mulan” on Aug. 21. Previously, AMC had expected to be fully open globally in July when Christopher Nolan’s spy film “Tenet” was scheduled to release …
Austin, Texas — Whole Foods Market has opened its 35,000-square-foot store at Saltillo, a mixed-use development in East Austin by Endeavor Real Estate Group. The new store was originally slated to open as one of the Austin-based grocer’s 365 concepts. When the pandemic set in, Endeavor Real Estate Group pivoted to have the store serve as a fulfillment center for other regional stores. It has served as a fulfillment center during most of the COVID-19 pandemic. The store now offers fresh produce from 75 different growers, full-service meat and seafood …
Riverside, Calif. — Farmer Boys®, the fast-casual concept known for its award-winning burgers and exceptional service, has promoted John Lucas to vice president of brand consistency. Previously, he was director of franchise operations. In this new role, Lucas is responsible for ensuring that Farmer Boys maintains consistent operational standards across every element of the brand and delivers a high quality, reliable guest experience in every restaurant. Lucas joined the Farmer Boys team in 2017 as a franchise business consultant and has served the company as director of franchise operations since …
Irvine, Calif. — Juice It Up!, one of the nation’s leading handcrafted smoothie, açaí bowl and raw juice chains, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2020, is opening the brand’s flagship “new store prototype” location this summer in Costa Mesa, Calif. This corporate-owned location will be the first to feature the brand’s new store design and will serve as an innovation kitchen for R&D, as well as a training and test center to continually share best practices with franchisees systemwide. The flagship location is opening on Costa Mesa’s 17th …
Scottsdale, Ariz. — PXG, a company that develops high-performance golf equipment and apparel, recently opened its sixth brick-and-mortar location in the United States. The 3,900-square-foot boutique is located at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Ariz. The center is a hub for dining, retail and entertainment for the Phoenix area’s West Valley. During a time when many traditional stores are struggling, PXG is continuing to expand its retail footprint. Unlike many golf companies, PXG is not sold in big box stores and instead focuses on personalized customer service. “PXG is …
New York City — Shake Shack Inc. and licensee Maxim’s Caterers Limited have expanded their partnership, with plans to open a minimum of 15 Shacks in South China by 2030, including locations in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Fuzhou and Xiamen. The Shenzhen location is slated to open next year. Together, Shake Shack and Maxim’s Caterers Limited plan to operate 55 Shacks in mainland China by 2030. Maxim’s currently operates Shake Shack locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong, with Beijing and Macau in development with goals to open later in 2020. As a …