Author

Katie Lee

New Albany, Ohio — Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has promoted veteran finance leader Robert Ball to chief financial officer. In his new role, which began on Nov. 20, Ball serves on the company’s executive leadership team and continues to report to Scott Lipesky, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Ball, previously the company’s senior vice president of corporate finance, investor relations and treasury, brings nearly 22 years of experience leading key Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A&F Co.) finance and strategy functions to the role. Lipesky, who served as the …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Phoenix — QDOBA, America’s rapidly growing #2 restaurant brand in the Mexican fast-casual category, will expand into Arizona for the first time, with the upcoming opening of two new restaurants in Phoenix and Scottsdale later this month. The new locations mark QDOBA’s first standalone restaurants in Arizona, which join existing, on-campus locations at Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University. “QDOBA is an exceptionally well positioned brand in one of the most attractive restaurant categories with the greater Phoenix area offering significant growth potential,” says Jeremy Vitaro, chief development officer …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Philadelphia — Five Below, Inc., the extreme-value retailer for teens and pre-teens, has appointed Winnie Park as chief executive officer (CEO) and a member of its board of directors, effective Dec. 16, 2024. An accomplished retail executive with a career spanning more than three decades, Park has extensive experience in driving customer-centric business strategies, merchandising and brand building across a broad spectrum of specialty and value retail. Most recently, she was CEO at Forever 21. In her new role, she will partner closely with Kenneth Bull, who will continue as …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

— By Marc Mascarello — How retailers can maintain optimal airflow and air quality by using non-metal diffusers to enhance the efficiency of their HVAC system. A crucial yet often overlooked component of any HVAC system is the diffuser, which is responsible for dispersing conditioned air throughout a space. Even so, over the past 75 years, innovation in HVAC diffuser design has been minimal. Historically, the focus has been on manufacturing ease and profitability rather than enhancing functionality and visual appeal. Metal diffusers, while inexpensive and straightforward to mass-produce, tend …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Los Angeles — Dave’s Hot Chicken, a rapidly growing Nashville-style hot chicken concept, has opened its 250th restaurant — and its first in the United Kingdom. Located at 40 Shaftesbury Ave., in the heart of London, the two-floor, 90-seat venue features an extraordinary street art display, paying homage to the humble East Hollywood parking lot where Dave’s began back in 2017, and takes inspiration from the world-famous Piccadilly Circus nearby. Dave’s Hot Chicken has opened nearly 80 new stores this year, with 2025 planned to be a year of equal …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Ontario, Calif. — Heritage Grocers Group, a leading specialty grocer focused on serving the Hispanic community, has named Suzy Monford to the role of CEO. A seasoned industry executive, Monford brings more than 25 years of experience and a proven track record of transformational leadership and innovation at industry-leading food retailers. She currently serves as CEO of Food Sport International, a global consultancy that advises retailers on financial and impact value creation. Prior to her role at Food Sport International, Monford was the CEO of PCC Community Markets, where she …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

San Diego — Jack in the Box Inc. is undergoing a strategic leadership restructure. Tony Darden, senior vice president and chief operating officer, who has been a valued member of the Jack in the Box executive team since June 2021, will depart from his role. Darden’s departure is consistent with a planned restructure that includes Ryan Ostrom, currently serving as executive vice president, chief marketing & digital officer, assuming responsibility for Jack in the Box operations in addition to his current function. Ostrom has been named chief customer & digital …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Chicago and Vancouver, B.C. — RISE Dispensaries, a rapidly growing cannabis retail chain owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc., has opened its landmark 100th retail location, with RISE Dispensary Carson City on Nov. 23, located in Carson City, Nev. In addition, the company opened its 101st retail location with RISE Dispensary Brooklyn Park on Nov. 23 in Brooklyn Park, Minn. The two locations represent the 11th and 8th dispensaries to open in Nevada and Minnesota, respectively. “It is a historic day at Green Thumb as we open our 100th and …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Houston — Houston-based Shipley Do-Nuts, a large and fast-growing donut brand first founded in 1936, will expand its presence in Florida and Tennessee under a 22-unit franchise agreement with the hospitality arm of private investment platform Virentes Partners Group.  Virentes operates multiple franchise brands through its subsidiary, Virentes Hospitality. Its development agreement with Shipley is the brand’s largest commitment inked in 2024. “We exhaustively researched dozens of franchise concepts to expand our hospitality portfolio, and Shipley came out on top with craveable and highly differentiated products and an outstanding leadership …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Katy, Texas — Academy Sports + Outdoors, a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer, wrapped up 2024 with five new stores in Bradenton, Fla.; Yulee, Fla.; Searcy, Ark.; Meridian, Miss.; and Corsicana, Texas. “Just in time for the holidays, Academy Sports + Outdoors is excited to provide more customers with a new destination to find a localized assortment of gifts and merchandise that help their family and friends have fun out there,” says Eric Friederich, senior vice president of retail operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors. “These new …

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail