Cheyenne, Wyo. — Taco John’s International Inc., a quick-serve Mexican franchise, is unveiling its newest store design concept, the Drive Thru Olé, which was first piloted in 2021 and whose original idea — based on modular buildings — dates back to the company founding in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyo. Drive Thru Olé is less than half the size of its traditional location footprint, requiring only .35 to .50 acres of land. This latest prototype is quicker to build and costs significantly less than the traditional freestanding unit that is 2,200 …
construction and design
Manasquan, N.J. — Jersey Mike’s Subs has hired Brooke Cabrera join the national sub sandwich franchise as director of real estate, Northeast. Previously, she was a vice president and market director of real estate at JPMorgan Chase & Co for the past 5 years. In her position at Chase, Cabrera oversaw the bank’s retail branch expansion in New England, opening branches in seven states across the Northeast. Her responsibilities entailed high-level market strategy, site identification, lease negotiation and coordinated partnership with her construction counterparts. Prior to JPMorgan, Cabrera was a …
Newport Beach, Calif. — Juice It Up! has opened its new Ehrenberg, Ariz., location, marking the brand’s entry into the Grand Canyon State. The Ehrenberg location is part of the bustling AZ Travel Plaza, adding to the store’s current food/drink offerings. Juice It Up! will continue expanding its footprint in Arizona with another opening in Kingman slated for fall 2023. “As a co-owner of the AZ Travel Plaza, I often consider new concepts that have the potential to thrive and provide unique experiences to our visitors. Having lived in Southern …
Pomona, Calif. — Apex Imaging Services has welcomed Blake Kelly to the position of business development director. He has spent over 10 years in the industry of reimaging as a vice president of national accounts and is now dedicating his expertise to Apex Imaging Services. In his previous role, Kelly created and implemented a “CEO Ready” concept to ensure high-level customer service throughout all projects. He has an extensive portfolio, including managing national accounts over $300 million worth of projects. Previously, Kelly has spent his career focusing on exterior work …
Atlanta — Krystal unveiled its much anticipated smaller prototype at its new company location in Center Point, Ala., on January 10. The 1,700-square-foot drive-thru features the first company store opening in more than 6 years with an advanced, sleek design using a smaller footprint. There is no dining room in the new prototype. Whereas a traditional Krystal is 2,700 square feet, this prototype uses 20% less kitchen space — making it both cost-efficient and operationally strategic. Without a dining room, the design makes it convenient for hungry guests with its …
San Leandro, Calif. — Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has started its second flagship store renovation at Ghirardelli Square. [Read about Phase I here.] The project will highlight Ghirardelli’s legacy as a U.S. chocolate pioneer and the company’s deep roots in San Francisco that date back to the 1850s. Last year, the company unveiled a completely reimagined Chocolate Experience Store, Ghirardelli’s other flagship retail space at Ghirardelli Square. The Original Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop will be closed during the renovation until its reopening in summer 2023. Introduced in 1966, the …
Denver — Teriyaki Madness, the Seattle-style Teriyaki Shop franchise system, is wrapping up the year at 37 new franchisees with 103 new units on tap. These openings helped the brand break into several new markets for the first time, including Louisiana, Georgia, Missouri and Massachusetts. In other words, Teriyaki Madness saw a 24% increase in open shops systemwide — growing its footprint by nearly a quarter. “People keep talking about a recession?” says Michael Haith, CEO of Teriyaki Madness. “We are closing out yet another groundbreaking year for our franchisees …
Fairview Heights, Ill. — IMPACT Strategies has completed renovations to two retail suites for U.S. Properties Group (USPG). The space, totaling 5,721 square feet, is located between the Dollar Tree and Kohl’s stores on Beltline Road in Collinsville, Ill. Construction was completed on schedule in 3 months. The firm’s work will allow for the expansion of Dollar Tree and the creation of a new space for a future tenant (Suite A). TR,i Architects was the architect-of-record for the project. IMPACT Strategies was the original general contractor for the 19,590-square-foot retail …
Fairview Heights, Ill. — IMPACT Strategies has promoted Derek Hinrichs from senior accountant to controller. Prior to joining IMPACT Strategies in 2021, Hinrichs spent more than 10 years at a public accounting firm where he was a tax manager and consultant. His role as controller involves a wide range of critical responsibilities in support of the company’s growth strategies. Hinrichs will oversee all financial functions of the business involved in the accounting process, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, budgeting, forecasting and compliance. “We are excited to see Derek move …
— By Jason Narod — Why it pays for your retail and restaurant facilities to be grid-interactive. Rising costs, energy mandates, electrification trends and more prevalent power disruptions — as seen recently in California and Texas — are all trends putting the energy transition at the forefront of business stakeholder priorities. More energy demand due to mass electrification collides with needs to decarbonize existing buildings as much as possible. Commercial businesses will be disproportionately burdened by the costs and forced to adapt to these quickly changing trends …