Detroit, Los Angeles, San Antonio & Toronto — The Home Depot Inc. plans to open four new distribution centers in Detroit, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Toronto. The new facilities are a key component of the company’s efforts to cater to professional customers such as developers, general contractors, remodelers and property managers. The new distribution centers will stock large, bulky merchandise such as lumber, insulation and roofing shingles. The new distribution centers are expected to open in the first half of this year. Home Depot has opened similar hubs across …
construction and design
— By Katie Lee — Coming off a strong year of growth, pizza legend Papa Johns takes its ‘dough show’ on the road, both domestically and abroad, with a brand-new look. The best, by definition, outshine the rest — but some years the best outshines even itself. 2023 was one of those years for Papa Johns. Founded four decades ago in Louisville, Kentucky, the pizza legend notched a great year in 2023, a year that finished as one of its best for new North America store openings in the past …
Plano, Texas — KFC has opened its 30,000th location globally with a new restaurant in Rome, Italy. After the brand opened its very first restaurant in 1952, a new KFC location now opens somewhere in the world every 3.5 hours on average. KFC plans to enter its 150th country later this year. “Opening our 30,000th restaurant is a testament to the support of our local business partners, employees and customers over the past nearly 75 years,” says Sabir Sami, CEO of KFC Global. “While we are a global brand, we …
Atlanta — Krystal Restaurants LLC, the original quick-service restaurant chain in the South, plans to open its first location in North Carolina this fall. Located in Wilson, N.C., the store will be built alongside Circle K and feature Krystal’s new convenience store design, which has a sleek and contemporary look and caters to consumers on the go. “We are proud to bring our standout business model and our innovative restaurant design to the state of North Carolina,” says Josh Kern, CEO of SPB Hospitality. “As we continue to focus on …
Wawa Breaks Ground on First Georgia Stores; Plans 26 Stores in Southern/Coastal Georgia Markets
Wawa, Pa. — Wawa, a privately held, family-owned chain of more than 1,040 convenience retail stores currently operating in six states and Washington, D.C., has officially started construction on its first two Georgia stores. The new stores will be located in Brunswick and Jesup, Ga. “It’s official — Wawa is coming to Georgia, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share details of our exciting growth plans with our newest soon-to-be neighbors!” says Robert Yeatts, senior director of store operations for Wawa. “Our two groundbreaking events gave us the opportunity …
Phoenix — Dogtopia, a leading dog wellness franchise, has unveiled its latest store design, which entails a smaller footprint and more playroom space than the company’s previous store layout. While utilizing smart planning and space-saving efficiencies, the new design only requires 4,000 to 5,000 square feet, and delivers 20% more play area than the former model. Along with the super-efficient footprint, the new design includes savings in overall buildout, such as standardized millwork and graphics for a faster construction schedule, leading to a 15% savings in cost per square foot. …
Austin, Texas — Whole Foods Market is introducing a new, quick-shop store format designed to provide customers in urban neighborhoods a quick, convenient shopping experience. The new format, called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, will initially launch on the Upper East Side in Manhattan with additional locations in New York City to follow. The first store, located at 1175 Third Ave., is expected to open this year. Following the New York City launch, Whole Foods Market plans to bring the format to other cities across the country. Ranging between 7,000 …
— By Kait Paradowski — How design and art go hand in hand when creating bespoke spaces for restaurants. In a time when all demographic groups, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly seeking authentic and immersive experiences, bespoke design is providing a meaningful connection between patron and location. Naturally, design and art go hand in hand. Whether it be a large mural or unique branding, bringing in an artistic element allows designers to tell a captivating story for the restaurant and create meaningful differentiation. When it comes to choosing …
Minneapolis — Target Corporation plans to continue to invest in its guest experience and long term growth through various strategies, including through the building of more than 300 new stores and enhancing and/or remodeling existing locations. “For years, Target has consistently built for the long term, investing in the assets, capabilities and team that have differentiated our business, enabled us to deliver for guests in any environment and driven strong growth,” says Brian Cornell, chair and CEO, Target. “Today, with that same long-term view, we’re making strategic investments that expand …
New York City — Macy’s Inc. plans to close 150 of its namesake department stores over the next 3 years. According to the retail giant, these stores represent 25% of the company’s gross square footage as of fiscal year-end 2023 but only account for 10% of sales. (Macy’s fiscal 2023 ended Feb. 3, 2024.) Macy’s anticipates closing approximately 50 stores by the end of fiscal year 2024, the locations of which have not been disclosed, though CNBC reports some are located in California, Florida, Hawaii and Virginia. Other elements of …