— By Jamie Johnson — Seven energy-saving changes businesses can make to save on energy costs. Operating a business has various costs, some we have control over and some that we don’t. In my business, I love the costs that directly contribute to sales and new revenue, and I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about those fixed costs to keep the lights on. Ironically, we focus on helping our clients reduce energy costs, and we love clients who have 24/7 operating hours. Businesses with 24/7 operations have …
Hawthorne, Calif. — Fulham Co., Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of lighting components and electronics for commercial and specialty applications, has appointed Edwin Reyes as director of OEM sales and business development. In his new role, Reyes will oversee all OEM sales activities for the Fulham organization. He brings over 14 years of experience to the role, gained through his time at Fulham, having started his career in the engineering department of the California-based company before recently serving as product manager for LED Drivers and Modules. The appointment is …
Atlanta — The Krystal Company has hired two senior executives with extensive QSR experience to lead its ongoing revitalization plan. Tim Ward fills the newly created position of president and chief operating officer, and Bruce Vermilyea joins the brand as chief financial officer. Ward joins Krystal from Captain D’s where he served as chief operating officer. During his tenure with Captain D’s, the company enjoyed 8 straight years of positive same-store sales and developed a pipeline of over 100 new restaurant locations. Ward held previous roles at Arby’s/RTM and NPC International/Pizza Hut. …
Denver — Motili, a leading real estate technology solutions company, has appointed Karl Pomeroy as its new chief executive officer. He brings more than 30 years in HVAC sales and management to the helm at Motili. Previously, Pomeroy held the position of division president at Goodman Manufacturing, Motili’s parent company, where he was responsible for managing 66 locations in the Western United States. In 2017, Pomeroy became executive sponsor for Motili, responsible for corporate integration and sales leadership for the company. Motili has been leading the way with its contractor …
Cincinnati — International retail design firm FRCH NELSON has partnered with KFC SOPAC to design an innovative, pilot project in Newcastle, Australia, opening to the public this week. With a growing number of consumers ordering through online channels, the goal of the new concept was to develop a more efficient operating model that celebrated this change in consumer behavior. The new concept includes five drive-thru lanes that allow customers to order and pay for a meal through the brand’s app or website, including designated lanes for more traditional, on-the-spot orders. …
Orlando, Fla. — Orlando, Fla.-based Williams Company Southeast has started seven more Target store remodels in Florida and Texas for a total of 15 Target stores in 2019. The newest work in Florida involves stores in Brandon, Deerfield Beach, Ft. Myers, Ocala and St. Petersburg, while the Texas stores include Houston and Pearland. The scope of work includes exteriors and interiors and follows Target’s next-gen store design to further enhance the guest shopping experience. Since 1990, Williams has constructed over 100 new Target stores plus more than 200 Target store …
— By Jeff Hill — The growth of self-service kiosks presents new challenges for quick-service restaurant facilities teams. Do you like self-service kiosks, or would you prefer to interact with a human cashier when visiting your favorite quick-service restaurant (QSR)? Your answer to that question, unsurprisingly, is likely driven by your age: 18- to 24-year-olds are more than 70% likely to visit a restaurant if it had a kiosk option; 25- to 34-year-olds are 65% more likely to visit; 45- to 54-year-olds are 60% more likely; and Over 55-year-olds …
— By Robert Kravitz — What if electric hand dryers sometimes do more harm than good? The men’s room in a Chicago restaurant included a sign many of us have seen before in other restaurants, movie theaters and similar locations. Above the electric hand dryers were these words: “We hate them too. But they save trees and help us keep the restroom clean as well.” Signs like this will probably slowly disappear if for no other reason than customers have gotten used to seeing electric hand dryers in all …
Los Angeles — The Dolly Llama, a popular waffle concept that currently dominates the Los Angeles dessert-scene with its own unique take on Hong Kong’s iconic Bubble Waffle, has signed with DCV Franchise Group as its franchising partner to expand the unique and exciting brand to major media markets across the country. “Having proven ourselves by dominating the ice cream & waffle scene in one of the most competitive markets in the country, Los Angeles, we are thrilled to be working with DCV to continue to grow and expand the …
Hoffman Estates, Ill. — Sears Holdings Corp. plans to close 96 underperforming stores by February 2020, according to the retailer’s parent company, Transform Holdco LLC. The closings will consist of 51 Sears stores and 45 Kmart stores, leaving 182 operational Sears and Kmart stores remaining in the United States. The closing stores are scattered throughout all regions of the country, including 28 located in California. A full list of store closures can be found here. “Since purchasing substantially all the assets of Sears Holdings Corp. in February 2019, Transformco has …