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Katie Lee

construction and designNewsrestaurants

Chicago-born Portillo’s Plans to Open Landmark Michigan Avenue Restaurant

by Katie Lee

Oak Brook, Ill. — More than six decades after opening as a small hot dog stand in suburban Chicago, Portillo’s is headed to Chicago’s famed Michigan Avenue with a new flagship restaurant. The Chicago-born fast-casual restaurant — known for its Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs and legendary chocolate cake — plans to open the new restaurant at 304 North Michigan Ave., just south of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. “Chicago is where the Portillo’s story began, and opening in the heart of the city is not only an incredibly proud moment …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Abercrombie & Fitch Expands Retail Presence in SoHo

by Katie Lee

New Albany, Ohio — Abercrombie & Fitch, a division of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., has opened its new SoHo store in New York City. Located at 520 Broadway between Spring and Broome streets, the store reflects the brand’s 134-year-old history in New York, from its original South Street storefront in the 1890s to its past iconic Madison Avenue location, to its Fifth Avenue store today. The store also debuts Abercrombie & Fitch’s first “Heritage Meets Modern” design concept. “We are proud to open our doors in the heart of one …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Felice Opens New Flagship Location in New York City’s Flatiron District

by Katie Lee

New York City — Felice has opened its new flagship restaurant in the Flatiron District, bringing the family-run Italian brand to one of Manhattan’s most design- and culture-driven neighborhoods. Located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 26th Street, the space is designed to feel embedded in the neighborhood from the start, less like a new opening, more like a place that has always been there. Since 2007, the restaurant brand has grown to 14 locations across New York, Connecticut, Florida and beyond, building its identity around rooms that feel …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Meta Lab @ Best Buy to Open in More Than 50 Stores

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — In partnership with Meta, Best Buy is bringing Meta Lab @ Best Buy to more than 50 of its stores this summer. These 900-square-foot experiential spaces give customers a hands-on way to explore Meta’s AI glasses and VR headsets through interactive demos and displays, smart mirrors, personalized fittings and more. “Our customers are passionate about experiencing what’s next and they turn to Best Buy to bring it to life,” says Patrick McGinnis, chief merchandising officer at Best Buy. “Meta Lab @ Best Buy is an experience customers can’t …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

White Castle to Open in Texas for First Time in 105-Year History

by Katie Lee

Columbus, Ohio — White Castle®, America’s first fast-food hamburger chain with a storied 105-year history, broke ground on June 2 on its first-ever Texas location at Grandscape in The Colony, Texas. The expected grand opening is late fall 2026. The 3,430-square-foot restaurant will feature a double drive-thru with both canopy and patio seating. Cuhaci Peterson partnered with White Castle on the store design. “As a family-owned business, we’ve wanted to get to Texas for a long time, and today we’re making it official. The Crave is here to stay,” says …

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disaster recoveryHVAC/RIndustry Voicesplumbingproperty managementrestaurantsroofingsnow and ice managementvendors

How Water Finds a Way

by Katie Lee

— Interview with Austin Duchaine & Shawn Hester — Breaking down the most common water-related issues experienced by restaurants — and how to prevent, mitigate and recover. For independent restaurants operating in aging buildings, a hidden water leak can quickly escalate from a maintenance issue to a financial crisis. Older plumbing systems, grease-clogged drains and HVAC condensation failures increase the risk of sudden shutdowns, especially in older retail centers and standalone locations. When a restaurant is forced to close for even a few days, the financial impact compounds fast, creating …

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Walmart Adds Express Delivery From In-Store Restaurants, Starting with Subway®

by Katie Lee

Bentonville, Ark. — Beginning this month, Walmart customers in select locations can order Subway directly through the Walmart app or Walmart.com and have their meal delivered in as little as 30 minutes or less, either on its own or alongside their Walmart Express Delivery order. This marks Walmart’s first restaurant integration within Express Delivery and reflects the company’s broader focus on helping customers simplify everyday life by bringing groceries, household essentials, fashion, prescriptions and restaurant meals together in one convenient experience. The service offers a flat Walmart Express Delivery fee …

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facilities managementNewsProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Hungry Howie’s Selects Restaurant365 as Back-Office Operations Platform

by Katie Lee

Irvine, Calif. — Restaurant365, a leading AI-powered restaurant management platform, has partnered with Hungry Howie’s Pizza, which has selected Restaurant365 as its back-office operations platform across all franchise locations. The partnership will standardize inventory management, scheduling, labor management and operational reporting across the Hungry Howie’s system, while all new franchisees entering the brand will also adopt Restaurant365’s accounting platform. By consolidating critical back-office functions into a single platform, Hungry Howie’s franchisees will gain real-time visibility into food costs, labor performance and store-level profitability while reducing manual processes and administrative complexity. …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Perfumania and The Fragrance Outlet to Open 43 New Stores Nationwide

by Katie Lee

New York City — RCS Real Estate Advisors, a leading national retail real estate advisory firm specializing in store growth and portfolio optimization, counseled internationally recognized fragrance retailers Perfumania and The Fragrance Outlet on the opening of 43 new stores across prominent malls and outlet centers nationwide. These transactions build on the opening of 31 stores in 2025, reflecting sustained momentum across the portfolio’s long term growth initiative. The new locations are expected to open throughout 2026 and 2027. “Our work with Perfumania and The Fragrance Outlet continues to evolve …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Krystal Makes its Northeast Debut with First Location in New Jersey

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Krystal, the iconic quick-service chain that has been serving its signature square sliders hot off the grill since 1932, opened its first New Jersey restaurant on June 4 in Union, marking the brand’s Northeast debut. “Opening our first restaurant in New Jersey is a major milestone for Krystal and an important next step for the brand,” says Amanda Hyde, chief operating officer of Krystal. “Krystal has always had fans beyond the South, and now we’re proud to introduce the full experience to the Northeastern community.” Krystal is actively …

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