construction and design

— Interview with Melody Wright — Von Maur embarks on a $100 million renovation plan to redefine its department stores for a new generation — and reinvest in the 152-year-old company’s signature customer service. Von Maur is a classic American department store, currently embarking on an extensive, multi-phased renovation of its nearly 40 brick-and-mortar locations over the next 5 years. The 152-year-old retailer will invest more than $100 million to showcase an entirely new interior aesthetic, with renovations underway in Wichita, Kansas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Omaha, Nebraska; Livonia, Michigan; Louisville, …

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Detroit — Little Caesars celebrates its 65th anniversary with another successful development period, signing numerous new multi-unit development agreements to expand its footprint across the U.S. These agreements will translate into more than 23 new restaurants opening in Dallas; Los Angeles; San Antonio, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Baltimore, Md.; and Greenville, S.C. Recent grand openings have also included three new restaurants in New York City. “Over the past few years, we’ve taken steps to continue to meet the demands and preferences of franchisees and guests alike. As …

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Philadelphia — honeygrow has opened its 50th restaurant, in Lancaster, Pa. This milestone reflects the brand’s strength and growth trajectory since its launch in 2012. Since opening its first location in the Rittenhouse neighborhood of Philadelphia, honeygrow has expanded across seven states. The growing fast-casual concept will enter the Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, markets this fall. Located at 1050 Christopher Place in Crossing’s Plaza, honeygrow Lancaster opened on Aug. 30. honeygrow joins other brands such as Wegmans, Shake Shack, Nothing Bundt Cakes and Reel Cinemas; it is also strategically positioned …

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New York City — Bluemercury, a neighborhood-based leading luxury beauty retailer and Macy’s, Inc. nameplate, has rebranded its digital presence, inked new brand partnerships, and overhauled its in-store retail design. All steps are part of Bluemercury’s 25th anniversary and aligned with its ongoing omni evolution coined “The New Blue,” whereby it seeks to redefine modern luxury in beauty. Bluemercury’s new store design includes hyper-personalized service offerings, highly curated assortments and unmatched expertise courtesy of the brand’s beauty experts. “The New Blue” brick-and-mortar format is now present in eight locations across …

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Miami — Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, a leading name in the U.S. pet service industry, is expanding to the West Coast with the opening of two new stores in Evergreen and Sacramento, Calif., this month. This marks Woof Gang’s debut in California and the fourth new state it has entered this year, following successful launches in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and a significant milestone opening in Brentwood, Tenn., earlier this year. With plans to expand into three additional states — Idaho, Arizona and Minnesota — by the end of the …

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Columbus, Ohio — On Sept. 4, 2024 national restaurant brand Sweetgreen opened its first-ever restaurant in Ohio, located near Columbus. Ahead of the opening, Sweetgreen’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Jonathan Neman, had this to say: “We can’t wait to open the doors at our flagship Ohio restaurant in this lively Columbus neighborhood. With local ingredients sourced from across the Midwest, we’re excited to bring the Sweetgreen flavor to Columbus’ iconic food scene. It’s been a long time coming, and we are so grateful to the Columbus community for embracing …

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Katy, Texas — Academy Sports + Outdoors, a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer, will open nine new stores this fall in eight different states. The new stores will open soon in Beckley, W.Va.; Kingsport, Tenn.; Bloomington, Ind.; Selma, N.C.; Ft. Myers, Fla.; Birmingham, Ala.; Springfield, Ohio; Bradenton, Fla.; and Bulverde, Texas. Academy has already opened three new stores this year, with plans to open a total of 15-17 new stores in fiscal year 2024. “Academy Sports + Outdoors is excited to continue our company growth with nine …

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Moonachie, N.J. — Paris Baguette, the renowned global bakery café franchise with over 170 locations across the U.S., has welcomed Norm Ginsberg to the team as its new vice president of operations. After 17 years with Bowlero, working his way up to key leadership positions, Ginsberg has developed a keen sense of what it means to always deliver the best possible experience through proper recruiting, training and operational systems. Ginsberg will oversee all operations aspects of Paris Baguette’s expanding network, focusing on maintaining the elevated guest experience, streamlining operations and …

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Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has hired Ammy Harrison as senior vice president of non-traditional development and Maiyo Hood as vice president of international development. The new team growth underscores FAT Brands’ commitment to driving organic growth, especially non-traditional and international. Year-over-year, the brand continues to build upon its over 2,300-unit global footprint. Harrison brings nearly 25 years of industry experience with high-growth restaurant brands, including spearheading non-traditional growth at Papa John’s International, Inc. Prior to joining FAT Brands, Harrison also served as vice president of …

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Columbus, Ohio — Fogo de Chão, the internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil, has signed a lease agreement to open its first Ohio location in Columbus. The new 7,245-square-foot restaurant is scheduled to open later this year in the Polaris Towne Center, one of the city’s largest retail and dining destinations. “We have long anticipated expanding our presence into the state of Ohio and are excited to share our authentic culinary experience from Brazil with the Columbus community soon,” says Barry McGowan, chief executive officer of Fogo de Chão. “This city’s …

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