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construction and design

construction and designNewsretailers

T&T Supermarket to Open First Southern California Store in Winter 2026

by Katie Lee

Irvine, Calif. — T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian grocery retailer, will open its first Southern California store in the Great Park community — a master-planned development within the City of Irvine — slated for winter 2026. Following the debut of its first U.S. store in Bellevue, Wash., in December 2024, T&T is continuing its U.S. expansion with a location in Irvine. Located at The Canopy at Great Park, the new 34,000-square-foot store will have convenient access from the future 133 Freeway interchange and its proximity to the Great Park Sports …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Opens First California Location

by Katie Lee

Barstow, Calif. — Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has made its highly anticipated debut in California with a new location in Barstow, which opened on April 28, 2025. Located at 1523 East Main St., this marks the brand’s first foray into the California market, bringing its signature tacos, memorable drinks, and laid-back vibe to the West Coast. The new shop is owned and operated by the Soleimani Group, an experienced multi-unit franchisee group with over 30 IHOP locations. “Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has built a passionate following across the country, and we’re confident …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Big Lots to Reopen 132 Stores in May 2025

by Katie Lee

Henderson, N.C. — Big Lots! will be reopening 132 stores in May 2025. This expansion under the direction of new owners, Variety Wholesalers, builds on the positive customer response to the initial reopenings of Big Lots! stores in April 2025 and further solidifies the discount retailer’s return to the American marketplace. “We’re excited to bring an additional 132 Big Lots! locations back to life in May,” says Lisa Seigies, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers. Big Lots! stores will reopen in May in two phases, on May 1 and May …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurantsstore closings

Jack in the Box to Close 150-200 Units; Company to Explore Possible Sale of Del Taco

by Katie Lee

San Diego — Jack in the Box Inc. has unveiled a series of actions to improve long term financial performance across its restaurant system, including the closure of 150-200 underperforming Jack in the Box restaurants and, with the help of BofA Securities, possible strategic alternatives for its Del Taco brand, including a potential divestiture of the business. “In my time thus far as CEO, I have worked quickly with our teams to conclude that Jack in the Box operates at its best, and maximizes shareholder return potential, within a simplified …

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construction and designIndustry Voicesrestaurants

Balancing Intimacy & Efficiency

by Katie Lee

By Griz Dwight, AIA, LEED AP Crafting smaller, purposeful F&B spaces. In the dining landscape, the mantra “smaller is better” has become increasingly relevant. This shift emphasizes the industry’s move toward compact yet highly impactful restaurant designs; in line with changing consumer habits, there is a renewed focus on creating intimate and highly efficient spaces that deliver exceptional experiences. By examining these changes through the lens of Oyster Oyster — a 1,047-square-foot restaurant in Washington, D.C. — we can explore how thoughtful design helps achieve both intimacy and efficiency in …

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construction and designenergy managementgreen building/LEEDgreen newsNewsrestaurantswaste management/recycling

Starbucks Verifies Over 9,000 Stores for Sustainable Practices

by Katie Lee

Seattle — As of the end of 2024, Starbucks had verified more than 9,000 stores for meeting robust standards, as verified by an outside auditor, across eight environmental impact areas such as energy efficiency, water stewardship and waste diversion. These measures — taking steps toward a more sustainable build, design and operations — are planned to be implemented across 10,000 stores in 2025. Of the 9,000 stores, Starbucks is celebrating five stores for excelling in innovation, environmental impact, community connection, inspiration, and customer and partner experience. These stores reflect Starbucks …

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construction and designNewsretailerssupply chain

Walmart Opens New Distribution Center in Jacksonville, Florida

by Katie Lee

Jacksonville, Fla. — On April 17, Walmart opened a new 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Jacksonville, Fla. The facility receives and processes items for delivery to 18 Sam’s Club locations across Florida, Georgia and South Carolina as well as seven clubs in Puerto Rico. Located just 10 minutes from the Port of Jacksonville, the facility also stores and sorts imported goods for delivery to four distribution centers across the Southeast. “We’re proud to create a new slate of jobs in our community,” says Frank Herrera, general manager of the new …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Guthrie’s to Open First Restaurants in the Carolinas

by Katie Lee

Lexington, S.C. — Guthrie’s, the original chicken finger restaurant, is bringing its iconic chicken fingers to the Carolinas in 2025. The expansion officially kicked off on April 22 with the opening of a new location in Lexington, S.C., at 2404 Mineral Springs Rd. Additional restaurants across both North and South Carolina will open later this year. “Guthrie’s has a deep-rooted history in the South, and we are excited to strengthen that connection by bringing our signature chicken fingers to the Carolinas. As a family-owned restaurant with our name on the …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Chipotle Signs Development Agreement to Open in Mexico for the First Time

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill has signed a development agreement to open restaurants in Mexico for the first time. In partnership with Alsea, S.A.B. de C.V. (Alsea), a leading restaurant operator in Latin America and Europe, Chipotle will open a location in Mexico by early 2026 and begin exploring additional expansion markets in the region. “We are confident that our responsibly sourced, classically-cooked real food will resonate with guests in Mexico,” says Nate Lawton, chief business development officer at Chipotle. “The country’s familiarity with our ingredients and affinity …

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construction and designNewsremodelsretailers

Sam’s Club to Remodel All 600 Stores, Plans to Expand

by Katie Lee

Bentonville, Ark. — Sam’s Club, a division of Walmart, plans to remodel all 600 of its existing membership-based stores nationwide. As part of its long term strategy, Sam’s Club will also open 30 new locations over the next several years while building a pipeline to begin opening 15 new clubs annually. This marks the first expansion since 2017 after Sam’s Club closed 62 locations in 2018. The stores will be modeled after the Grapevine, Texas, location, which opened in December 2024. The new locations will span 160,000 square feet and …

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