Atlanta — Psycho Bunny, the men’s contemporary and golf clothing brand, has opened its second stateside retail location at Lenox Square in Atlanta. The brand’s successful pop-up-to-permanent retail strategy was applied to the Atlanta market with the opening of an interactive pop-up in October, followed by a permanent space that opened on November 6, 2019. The 12×20 pop-up and 1,500-square-foot permanent store were designed and developed in partnership with international architecture and design firm, Adelifca. Launched in fall 2019, the pop-up showcases the brand’s fall collection, in a unique mobile …
Chicago — Jeffrey K. Hoffmann, a veteran banking executive who has provided strategic advice and capital solutions to operators of some of the biggest restaurant brands in North America, has joined A&G Real Estate Partners as a senior managing director and head of the firm’s fast-growing restaurant division. “Jeff is a trusted strategic partner with broad experience and extensive relationships in the restaurant business,” says Andy Graiser, co-president of Melville, N.Y.-based A&G. “He brings strong leadership to our deep bench of experts in this industry. We are very excited to …
Cincinnati — American Girl unveiled two new in-store experiences this month in its New York City flagship store on Rockefeller Plaza. Award-winning retail design firm FRCH NELSON partnered with the brand to envision both experiences that will be open throughout the holiday season. Girls can now experience a day in the life of one of American Girl’s most popular dolls, Julie. The pop-up called “Julie’s Groovy World” immerses guests in her 1970s world. The in-store activation encourages interactive play between girl and doll and brings Julie’s message of girl empowerment …
Spartanburg, S.C. — Eggs Up Grill has appointed Todd Owen as its new vice president of franchise development. Owen brings a rich background in successful franchise development, leading sales and business development with brands that included Qdoba Mexican Eats, spearheading growth from 60 to more than 600 locations. “We selected Todd after a thorough and extensive search of the industry’s top talent in franchise development,” says Ricky Richardson, CEO of Eggs Up Grill. “We’re thrilled to welcome Todd to the Eggs Up Grill team and know that he will make …
Hartford, Conn.— Express Kitchens is in expansion mode, opening more locations and tweaking the store lineup to include retail showroom in and around Boston. By the end of 2019, Express Kitchens will open three new retail stores followed by five new showrooms in the year 2020. In addition, the company has taken a big step toward fulfilling its environmental stewardship commitment by implementing renewable energy practices to its business operations. The successful installation and functioning of solar panels to its Hartford, Conn., offices is an initiative that reflects company’s holistic …
Atlanta — The Krystal Company plans to refranchise approximately 100-150 company-owned restaurants to well-capitalized multi-unit operators as part of its ongoing business and fleet revitalization. To that end, Krystal has engaged The Cypress Group, a specialized investment banking firm, to manage the refranchising initiative. Restaurants in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee will be refranchised. “We’re ready for the next step in the brand transformation that began when I came on board in 2018,” says Paul Macaluso, Krystal’s president and CEO. “We’ve seen great success with the new restaurant prototype, remodels and …
Littleton, Colo. – Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh has debuted its fresh new prototype in the southwest Denver suburb of Littleton. The restaurant is the first new ground-up buildout of a GARBANZO restaurant to open in the Denver metro area since 2014, and it’s the company’s first new prototype in Denver. The new GARBANZO restaurant exudes a bright, open and fresh aesthetic for the brand. It features a stand-alone bakery area where guests will be able to see their pitas being kneaded, placed in the oven and puffed to perfection right before …
Plano, Texas — JCPenney recently unveiled its brand-new store, a completely reimagined format just outside of Dallas in Hurst, Texas, that represents the company’s strategy to put the customer at the center of its business. As a brand-defining store, it is experiential at its core, and a direct result of what today’s shoppers want from a retailer. The store is built around data and insights learned from more than a year of extensive customer research. “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do,” says JCPenney’s chief executive officer, …
Minneapolis — Moe’s Southwest Grill®, a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves southwestern food, opened its first restaurant in the state of Minnesota on October 18. The restaurant is located between Terminals E and F in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. The new location is owned and operated by existing multi-unit franchisee HMS Host, the world’s largest provider of food and beverage services for travelers. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport location marks the fourth Moe’s Southwest Grill opening for the group, and the first since 2013. Other Moe’s non-traditional restaurants owned by HMS …
— By Keith Gipson — Using a building’s thermal mass for efficient energy management. Efficient energy usage has been, and continues to be, one of the hottest topics in the building management industry. Each year, businesses spend tens of billions of dollars on power consumption operating lights, computer equipment, process equipment and HVAC. HVAC typically accounts for the highest percentage of the utility costs for most commercial buildings. Data from the hospitality industry, for example, indicates that hotels spend in excess of $2,000 per room on energy costs annually …