— By David Gabbai — How restaurant tenants can be built to save. Due to challenges like high interest rates and construction costs, the price of owning, building, remodeling and leasing restaurant space has gone through the roof. It can be a difficult time to own and maintain a restaurant business and restaurant space. However, forward-thinking restaurant tenants and retail landlords are finding creative ways to make things work. We are seeing these imaginative solutions play out in lease terms and structures, which can be done in a way that …
construction and design
Canton, Mass. — This Fourth of July, Dunkin’ is celebrating its 4,000th NextGen location now open in Jacksonville, Fla., operated by franchisee Rima & Raj, LLC. This marks a major milestone for the brand as Dunkin’ continues to open and remodel existing locations as innovative NextGen restaurants, offering guests a more modern design with premium beverages, creating an elevated in-restaurant and drive-thru experience. “NextGen is propelling the brand forward and continuing to exceed growth targets,” says Scott Murphy, chief brand officer of Inspire Brands, which acquired Dunkin’ in late 2020. …
Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts has further built out its development team to include experienced construction project managers to help franchisees through every aspect of design, permitting and construction, including overseeing timelines and conducting site visits to ensure quicker shop openings without costly delays. Ryan Pullin, Shipley’s new director of design, has nearly 15 years’ experience in commercial and retail construction project management, with a focus on cost control. He joined the company after serving as president of Elite 3 Construction. Korelle Dickson, who joined the company as construction project manager, …
— By Alec Zaballero — A conversation with TPG Architecture about trends in retail design — and how digital-first brands can successfully move into brick-and-mortar. R&R: Thank you so much for your time! Before diving in, our readers would like to get to know you. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what trends you are seeing in the retail industry? Alec Zaballero: In my role as managing executive at TPG Architecture, I oversee the firm’s retail, hospitality, restaurant, and entertainment design practices, with a keen focus on …
— By Frank Mataipule and Megan Freckelton — Elevated, upscale dining experiences are moving to more suburban markets. In the past couple years, the restaurant sector has seen a strong movement in bringing what was once an urban, downtown experience into a more suburban market. As designers focused on restaurants and hospitality, our strategies have also shifted. Whereas we once focused primarily on urban, downtown concepts, we are now working with several restaurant groups looking to move their work into suburban locations as these sites create more revenue, have added …
Dallas — Galleria Dallas, a 1.9 million-square-foot shopping center managed by Trademark Property Group, will have a new anchor in fall 2025: a hotly anticipated entertainment venue called Netflix House. This will be the first Netflix House in Texas, and only one of two to be announced in the United States. Netflix House will be a permanent experiential venue featuring Netflix stories and characters beyond the screen year-round. Netflix House will offer regularly updated immersive experiences, Netflix related retail merchandise and unique, Netflix-inspired food and drink offerings. “Welcoming Netflix House …
Indianapolis and Cincinnati — Wawa, a privately held, family and associate-owned chain of more than 1,050 convenience retail stores currently operating in eight states and Washington, D.C., officially broke ground on its first stores in the states of Indiana and Ohio. Wawa’s first Indiana store is located at 3835 East 96th St. in Indianapolis. The first store in Ohio is located at 5308 Fields Ertel Rd. in Cincinnati. Both stores are projected to open in second quarter 2025. “We are excited to begin construction on our stores in Indiana and …
Atlanta — US LBM, a leading distributor of specialty building materials in the United States, has named Russell Tiejema executive vice president and chief financial officer. Tiejema succeeds Patrick McGuiness, who retired from the company last year. Most recently, Tiejema was executive vice president and CFO with Masonite International Corporation, a leading global designer and manufacturer of interior and exterior doors for the residential and non-residential construction, repair and renovation markets. Tiejema began his career with General Motors, holding multiple financial leadership roles with the automotive manufacturer, and later served …
Dallas — TGI Fridays, the world’s first casual bar and grill, has opened a new restaurant inside the Hilton Garden Inn in Hollywood, Calif. The newest Fridays location is core to the brand’s transformation strategy — offering hotel guests a quintessential Fridays experience while creating a model that’s focused on operational value and efficiency within the hospitality industry. To develop the new Fridays location, the brand reimaged existing restaurant space within the Hilton Garden Inn Hollywood to create a profit center for the hotel and a value add for both …
— By Ty Johnson — Tubular daylighting solutions for modular restaurants. The concept of modularity is not new in the building construction industry. However, in the wake of post-pandemic economies and increasing concerns about climate change, there is a shift in how we approach the built environment. Modular structures offer numerous advantages that are reshaping the landscape of restaurant construction. When combined with advanced daylighting strategies, they can achieve unparalleled benefits in terms of efficiency and sustainability. What is Modular Construction? Modular construction involves the prefabrication of building components or …