Los Angeles — Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), a premier global developer and operator of flagship shopping destinations, has revealed details of its global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program — the most ambitious of its kind for a listed retail real estate company. Called “Better Places 2030”, the CSR program will now formally extend to the United States and the United Kingdom, which were a part of the acquisition of Westfield by Unibail-Rodamco last year. Broadly, the program commits URW to reduce its total carbon footprint 50% by the year 2030 across every …
Dallas — Mimi’s, the popular French-inspired concept, will change its name to Mimi’s Bistro & Bakery. After 41 years in business, the brand is modernizing its restaurants, menus and approach to create an even better experience for loyal patrons and welcome a new era of guests to the table at Mimi’s. “Creating a new name and face for Mimi’s has been a long overdue and exciting experience for our team,” says Philippe Jean, chief operating officer for Le Duff America, Inc. “We are ready for a fresh phase that strengthens …
Miami — Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P. (HFF) has arranged $550 million in financing for the expansion of the iconic Bal Harbour Shops, a 463,114-square-foot, open-air, luxury shopping destination anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus along Miami Beach in Bal Harbour, Fla. The loan, borrowed by Whitman Family Development, is one of the largest construction loans ever to close in Miami. Loan proceeds will be used to retire an existing loan and expand Bal Harbour Shops by an additional 300,000 square feet, including a 57,414-square-foot space to be occupied …
Tampa Bay, Fla., New York City and Atlanta — Nord Bay Capital and its advisor TriArtisan Capital Advisors LLC have closed on a transaction to acquire Hooters of America, LLC from H.I.G. Capital, Chanticleer Holdings and other investors. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. As part of the transaction, the selling entities will each retain a stake in the company. “The partnership with Nord Bay and TriArtisan comes at an ideal time for the company, bringing fresh partners with complementary skills and experience to support our next phase …
Rowley, Mass. — Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), the security industry’s leading gunshot detection solutions provider, has partnered with a Texas movie theater company, which has installed the Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System in its chain of multi-cinema movie theaters to alert building occupants and law enforcement to shooting incidents in their facilities. The customer was concerned about false alerts in their cinemas due to gunshot and explosions that regularly appear in movies. Once the installation was complete, SDS engineers worked with the customer’s certified integrator to monitor the system’s …
Austin, Texas — Austin, Texas-based Tiff’s Treats has opened its 50th store, located in the Dallas suburb of Highland Village, Texas. A $25 million of investor funding in 2017 kicked off expansion into new markets across the U.S., including Atlanta, Nashville and, later this summer, Charlotte, N.C. “Hitting 50 stores, all company owned, is a meaningful achievement in our growth, and only the starting point of our growth to come,” says Tiff’s Treats co-founder Tiffany Chen, noting the 10 stores listed on the company’s website that will open soon and …
San Jose, Calif. — Beginning in March, Togo’s store of the future — named Togo’s 3.0 — started gaining momentum thanks to the completion of both physical and operational renovations at its Emeryville, Fremont and San Jose, Calif., stores. The popular West Coast sandwich innovator completely remodeled one corporate and two franchise owned locations to dramatically improve the overall guest experience with faster speed of service and a more contemporary dining environment. “We wanted a store that reflected our nearly 50 years of leadership in the premium sandwich category,” says …
— By Michael Mastous — Fire prevention and protection tips business owners need to know. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 8.3% of fires take place in non-residential properties, with an estimated 100,300 non-residential fires reported between 2014-2016, resulting in annual property losses of $2.4 billion, and, tragically, an estimated 90 deaths. What does this mean to you, as a business owner? Fire protection and prevention is an integral aspect of keeping your business, employees and guests safe. The Cost of Fires Lies Not in Repairs With a commercial …
— By Lee Lowis — Durable parking lot repairs with less downtime. Henry Ford did not invent the automobile, nor did he invent the assembly line. His efforts did bring the horseless carriage within reach of the middle class. Similarly, neither Microsoft nor Apple invented the computer. They saw an opportunity to take computer technology and make it available and useful to everyone. These are just two examples of ingenuity making a difference. Innovative Technology for Your Parking Lots How could your retail store or restaurant benefit from a …
Oak Brook, Ill. — Let’s Pave, a leading national provider of specialized paving services and solutions, has selected Saw Mill Capital Partners II, LP and affiliated private equity investment funds managed by Saw Mill Capital LLC as its financial and strategic partner. The management team at Let’s Pave will retain significant ownership and continue to lead the business going forward. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. “Our partnership with Saw Mill Capital represents a great step forward for Let’s Pave,” says C.B. Kuzlik, CEO and founder of …