New York City — For the first time in the company’s 80-plus-year history, Paul Stuart is heading to the beach this summer with a brand new, full-service store at 50 Main Street in Southampton, N.Y. The 1,900-square-foot store will open on July 1 and will feature styles for men and women from the sportswear, tailored clothing, accessories and footwear collections the company is well known for. “We couldn’t be happier to make this exciting announcement,” says Paulette Garafalo, CEO of Paul Stuart. “After closing our stores in March due to …
Hauppauge, N.Y. — BOSS Facility Services’ Robert S. Keingstein lost his battle with cancer on June 20, 2020. He was 68 years old. Bob was a true industry professional with a passion and knowledge of the HVAC industry for over 51 years. Bob started his career as an HVAC apprentice for Forman Air Conditioning at the age of 17 and instantly fell in love with the trade. At the age of 23 he started his first HVAC company and never looked back. He became involved with ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors …
Lexington, Ky. — A&W Restaurants is expanding from California to New York and from Louisiana to Minnesota, the result of agreements signed with 10 new franchisees. The latest multi-unit deal, signed this month, will bring three locations to Lafayette, La. The popular fast food chain has opened 12 restaurants in the last 18 months. It now has 16 in development, with four being built by current franchisees. The new locations will be in major cities, such as Chicago and St. Louis, as well as mid-size and smaller communities. Seven will …
— By Matt Brown — Considerations for a successful return to growth for restaurants and retailers. When the COVID-19 pandemic sent everyone into their homes in March, businesses had to make fundamental changes to their operations. The restaurant industry “doubled-down” on takeout and delivery services, and essential retailers worked around the clock to clean and sanitize the store and restock in-demand items. Meanwhile, some restaurants and non-essential retailers were forced to close, hoping for the opportunity to reopen their doors sooner rather than later. Any way you slice it, when …
— By Deb Millette — Advice for facilities management teams in the midst of COVID-19. [EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of Retail & Restaurant Facility Business magazine.] In the face of the worldwide pandemic that is COVID-19, people and businesses alike are facing challenges that are testing both mindsets and financial stability. With very little historical data to reference and guide business owners, everyone is taking a different approach. Some businesses have been forced to shut down, others have drastically shifted operational hours, …
Pittsburgh — Moe’s Southweast Grill has opened its first ever kiosk-only restaurant. Located in Pittsburgh, the kiosk-only restaurant is owned and operated by Moe’s multi-unit franchisee Mike Geiger, seats 16 and features Moe’s new brand design. The build took approximately 10 months to complete, with the final inspection scheduled for one day after the city shut down due to COVID-19 (March 13). This timely launch provides a more contactless ordering option in the time of COVID-19, as well as additional sanitation efforts have been put in place in accordance with …
Dallas — The Communication Workers of America (CWA) has announced that Dallas-based AT&T has informed the telecommunications and IT union its plans to permanently shutter 250 AT&T Mobility and Cricket Wireless stores. The move would impact 1,300 retail jobs. There are currently more than 16,000 AT&T retail locations in the United States, including authorized retailers and company-owned stores and kiosks. CWA also reports that A&T plans to cut 3,400 technician and clerical jobs across the country over the next few weeks. The Dallas Morning News reports that AT&T had to …
Evansville, Ind. — Shoe Carnival, Inc., a leading retailer of moderately priced footwear and accessories, has reopened all but one of its 390 stores across the U.S and Puerto Rico amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. For the fiscal second quarter-to-date, Shoe Carnival has experienced stronger than expected sales with comparable store sales up 28.1% compared to the prior year, with brick-and-mortar comparable sales up 4.0% and e-commerce comparable sales increasing nearly 470%. “The first half of fiscal 2020 ushered in an unprecedented operating landscape for our business. We pivoted quickly …
Waterbury, Conn. – Wing It On!, a New England-based wing joint, has formed a strategic franchising initiative that will accelerate its U.S. expansion. With 12 locations open and in development, Wing It On! has now set its sights on targeted franchise growth, zeroing in on key regions throughout the Northeastern and Southeastern sections of the United States. “We’ve been patient with our growth, primarily because we wanted to give all of our energy to our fans and the business at our first few locations. In the last 18 months or …
Boca Raton, Fla. — Office Depot, Inc. has appointed D. Anthony Scaglione as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective July 20, 2020. As CFO, Scaglione will report directly to CEO Gerry Smith and be a member of the executive committee. He will be responsible for overseeing all financial aspects of the company, including financial planning and analysis, financial reporting and accounting, as well as leading investor relations, internal audit, tax and treasury functions. “We are delighted to welcome Anthony to Office Depot as we accelerate our transformation to …