Author

Katie Lee

Dallas — Centennial, a retail real estate owner and operator with a national portfolio of shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations as well as a full-service property management platform serving third-party owners (www.centennialrec.com), has appointed Paul Kurzawa to serve as president. Kurzawa is an experienced real estate and entertainment executive with more than 25 years of international multi-asset and multi-discipline expertise in the commercial real estate and entertainment industries. He has worked for some of the most distinguished global real estate and entertainment companies in the world, including The Blackstone …

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Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill has appointed Scott Boatwright as chief executive officer and a member of the board, effective immediately. Prior to being named interim CEO in August, Boatwright served as chief operating officer, reporting directly to the company’s CEO since 2017. Responsible for more than 125,000 employees and over 3,600 restaurants, Boatwright has been a driving force for improving the company’s overall guest experience. In addition to contributing to the strategy and growth of the business, he led the integration of new technology into restaurants, built …

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San Francisco — Brilliant Earth Group, Inc., an innovative, global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry, is opening its first street-level showroom in New York City. The showroom is located at 255 Elizabeth St. in Nolita and expands the company’s retail footprint to 4 locations in the New York metropolitan area and 39 overall. The inviting floorplan includes a jewelry try-on bar, offering customers a hands-on and engaging holiday shopping experience and includes dedicated private spaces for the company’s signature one-on-one bridal and fine jewelry appointments. “We are committed to …

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Saginaw, Mich. — Duro-Last, a member of Holcim Building Envelope, has appointed Chris Warner as its new vice president of operations. With more than 20 years of experience in operational leadership and a strong background in lean manufacturing and strategic process optimization, Warner will be instrumental in enhancing Duro-Last’s operational excellence and advancing its commitment to safety and superior customer service. “I am honored to join Duro-Last and contribute to the legacy of excellence that has made the company a trusted leader in commercial roofing,” says Warner. “Duro-Last’s reputation for …

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Honolulu — L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has appointed Kyler Kokubun as director of franchisee communications. In this role, Kokubun will focus on enhancing the relationship between the franchisor and franchisees, supporting franchisee operations and aligning marketing strategies with the brand’s vision. Kokubun brings nearly 15 years of experience in marketing, customer service and community engagement from his previous tenure at Consolidated Theatres, Hawaii’s oldest and largest movie theatre chain, where he was promoted from service associate to marketing and events manager for all locations across Hawaii. He has been instrumental in …

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Bethesda, Md. — Westfield Montgomery is welcoming six new highly sought after fashion brands. Tory Burch, Abercrombie & Fitch and Carter’s will open this November followed by UNIQLO opening in mid-2025. These additions are the latest in a series of new tenants for Westfield Montgomery in 2024. Most recently, J. Crew moved into a sleek new space. JD Sports, a leading retailer of fashionable sportswear and sneakers, opened in late September. Swiss chocolatier Läderach opened in summer 2024. “We’re excited to expand our upscale retail offerings at Westfield Montgomery for …

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New York City — Checkmate, a leader in AI-powered ordering solutions for enterprise restaurants, has secured $10 million in Series B funding led by Tiger Global. The round will enable Checkmate to accelerate the adoption of its voice AI and kiosk technologies across the industry. Checkmate has already developed expertise in integrating digital orders into restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems. This foundation serves as a critical advantage in entering these new business segments. Checkmate offers best-in-class phone ordering and drive-thru AI solutions to some of the country’s largest brands, all seamlessly …

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— By Katie Lee — PREIT is redefining the role of malls by transforming them into vibrant community hubs. As a premier developer and operator of retail and entertainment destinations all over the country, in some of the most sought-after, high barrier-to-entry MSAs, PREIT has long understood the importance of creating a “sense of place.” But with more than 6 decades of experience and a foresight to see beyond the traditional malls or power centers of its early years, today PREIT and its 17 premier properties offer so much more …

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South Portland, Me. — Cousins Maine Lobster opened its 75th unit in early November, located in Jacksonville, Fla. The brand, which launched in April 2012 by real-life cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, now has 4 restaurants and 71 food trucks with reach across more than 30 states. In addition to celebrating 75 units, the brand is also welcoming new franchisees to the system, business partners Mandy Ottesen and Damon Cole. From their initial training in Maine to the opening of their first truck, they’ve been able to launch their …

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Emeryville, Calif. — Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has announced that Eric Lindberg, current chairman of the board, has been appointed interim president and CEO, effective immediately. Lindberg replaces RJ Sheedy, who has stepped down from his position and resigned from the board. The board has engaged a leading global executive search firm to begin the process of identifying a permanent CEO. With more than three decades of leadership experience at the company, Lindberg is a Grocery Outlet veteran with a deep knowledge of its operations and strategy. He previously served …

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