— By Kenneth Gruskin, AIA — Coronavirus as a catalyst for innovation in stores and restaurants. The coronavirus has resulted in a cosmic shift in retail and hospitality. Customers have moved from seeking high-touch retail experiences, extensive product/service selection, and vibrant, extensive menu and dining options/experiences…to staying well. In response, retailers and restauranteurs are now focused on providing efficiency, safety and convenience. This has accelerated the transition from “bricks to clicks” and, with this, many retailers are adapting their physical locations to better accommodate the surrounding population, using these …
construction and design
Modesto, Calif. — FoodMaxx officially welcomed shoppers to its newly renovated Oakland, Calif., store on Feb. 3. “With shoppers facing ever-tighter budgets during the pandemic, our Number 1 goal at FoodMaxx is to provide this community with the very best values, day in and day out, without sacrificing quality,” says Dean Willhite, vice president of store operations, FoodMaxx. Upon entering the store, shoppers experience FoodMaxx’s unbeatable “Wall of Value,” offering the best deals in town on grocery essentials and popular snacks. The store’s interior renovations feature the FoodMaxx warehouse-style format …
San Diego — QDOBA Mexican Eats® (QDOBA), the largest franchise opportunity in the fast-casual Mexican segment, has opened its 400th franchise location (pictured). The landmark opening underscores the brand’s dynamic development strategy to expand to 2,000 units. QDOBA’s growth will be fueled by blending a mix of current franchisees expanding their portfolios, new franchisee acquisition and corporate development. QDOBA’s 400th franchise restaurant had its grand opening on Jan. 19 in Brighton, Mich., a suburb of Detroit. The modernized QDOBA features several of the brand’s recent innovations, including a new drive-thru …
Coral Gables, Fla. — Fogo de Chão, the internationally-renowned steakhouse, has signed a lease agreement to open an all-new restaurant experience in Coral Gables, Fla. Slated to open by the end of 2021, the restaurant will be situated within The Plaza Coral Gables, South Florida’s highly anticipated mixed-use shopping, dining, office, hospitality and entertainment destination. In addition to a Fogo restaurant, the flagship location will feature The Butchery and Next Level Lounge, two destinations new to Fogo in the U.S. “Fogo de Chão is steeped in 40 years of rich …
Dallas — Golden Chick is kicking off 2021 with innovation in restaurant design and development by introducing the franchise’s very first modular constructed building. The first restaurant is scheduled to be installed in Saginaw, Texas, this month with an expected opening in March, with two more installations in the pipeline for the first half of the year in Snyder and Refugio, Texas. “This new model will allow our franchisees to go-to-market quicker than ever before, while reducing the overall development and operational costs,” says Jim Stevens, president of Golden Chick. …
Lynchburg, Va. — The first week of January, River Ridge outlined the next phase of its redevelopment, beginning with the demolition of the former Macy’s building on the West End of the property scheduled for first quarter 2021. The revitalized West End is envisioned as River Ridge’s restaurant and entertainment hub along with traditional retail and personal services options. It will provide a contemporary, open-air shopping experience with higher store elevations and urban-esque storefront designs, as well as an outdoor venue for family themed community events. “Now that updates to the …
Orlando, Fla. — Tijuana Flats has launched a newly designed prototype, which will soon be the norm in many of the brand’s locations. The new look includes a fresh, bright design and high-tech enhancements that will improve the guest experience. Tijuana Flats’ restaurant in Noblesville, Ind., became the first location to showcase the new design when it opened in November. “I love the new look,” says John Rowe, owner of Tijuana Flats in Noblesville. “It’s so open and bright. Our restaurants have always been colorful, but this update gives it …
Miami — Burger King® is introducing a completely new visual design that will be present throughout all touchpoints of the guest experience. Inspired by real and delicious food, the more modern look marks the first complete rebrand in over 20 years. The announcement signals a commitment to digital-first expression and recent improvements to taste and food quality, through the removal of colors, flavors and preservatives from artificial sources from menu items, as well as an ambitious pledge to environmental sustainability. The brand will be rolling out a new brand logo, …
Fort Worth, Texas — Westwood Contractors has added Stefan Figley as chief executive officer, a role he officially assumed on December 7, 2020. Robert D. Benda, who has served as CEO since 2005, will continue with the company as chairman of the board. Figley, a Certified Franchise Executive, has more than 24 years of experience employing his strategic vision focusing on the key metrics driving EBITDA performance and multimillion-dollar revenue growth. Westwood Contractors is a general contractor with 37 years of experience providing general contracting services for retail, healthcare, hospitality, …
Los Angeles — Ruby Red’s BBQ, a new Texas-style barbeque restaurant, will be coming to Los Angeles in April 2021. The restaurant is owned by Steve Williamson of Ruby Red’s, Majestic Retail Group and Williamson General Contracting; Oculus Inc., a full-service architecture and interior design firm based in St. Louis, is designing the fast-casual restaurant that has a high-end feel. “We were thrilled when Steve chose Oculus to design his first restaurant,” says Brian Kern, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, principal and retail director at Oculus Inc. “We have a …