Atlanta — Craveworthy Brands, a fast-growing multi-brand restaurant platform, is collaborating with the Georgia Institute of Technology to bring multiple concepts in its portfolio to campus under Crave Kitchen Georgia Tech. Set to open in August 2026 on the second level of the John Lewis Student Center, the location will serve a student body of more than 56,000 at one of the nation’s leading public research universities. Craveworthy’s differentiated model brings multiple brands together within a food hall, supported by the infrastructure to operate efficiently at scale. Non-traditional venues — …
construction and design
Phoenix — Bringing a taste of Carolina flavor to the Grand Canyon State, Bojangles has officially landed in the Phoenix DMA. The new restaurant, located in Gilbert, Ariz., opened on July 20 and marks its first location in the state of Arizona. This expansion into Arizona marks a significant step in Bojangles’ strategic growth plan. In the past year, the brand has successfully entered new markets, with its most recent opening Morganville, N.J., following expansions into in Oklahoma City; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Austin, Texas; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Piscataway, N.J.; Las Vegas; …
— By David Shove-Brown — As brands prepare for national expansion, they should partner with architects and interior designers to facilitate a more seamless, successful approach. Growing a brand into a nationally-franchised chain begins from the bottom up. Everyone has to start somewhere, and for many of the top fast-casual restaurant concepts in America, that means starting small. Every move a restaurateur makes when developing a concept has to be intentional and aligned with their goals for scaling the business. While branding is a foundational element of successful business practice, …
Cincinnati — Penn Station Sandwiches, formerly Penn Station East Coast Subs, is celebrating a strong first half of 2026 driven by a strategic brand refresh, expanded menu offerings and accelerated franchise growth. The company’s new identity reflects its commitment to innovation while staying rooted in the high-quality subs and sandwiches, fresh-cut fries and hand-squeezed lemonade that have defined the brand for more than 40 years. The transition to Penn Station Sandwiches marks an evolution for the company as it broadens its appeal to new audiences. The rebrand is designed to …
Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill is opening the first Chipotle restaurant in Mexico on July 16 in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, part of the Monterrey metropolitan area, in partnership with Alsea, a leading restaurant operator in Latin America and Europe. The opening marks a significant milestone in Chipotle’s international growth strategy. Building on this market entry, Chipotle and Alsea plan to open additional restaurants in Nuevo León later this year and expand into Mexico City in 2027. “We are entering Mexico with deep respect for the …
New Orleans — Vortex Doors has opened its newest service center in New Orleans, further expanding its nationwide network of commercial door and dock service professionals. The new location enhances Vortex Doors’ ability to provide fast, reliable service to businesses throughout the Greater New Orleans area and Southeast Louisiana. The New Orleans service center delivers comprehensive commercial door solutions, including overhead door repair, loading dock equipment service, automatic door repair, fire door inspections, security gates, glass doors and proactive maintenance programs. Customers also benefit from 24/7 emergency service performed by …
Atlanta — Atlanta-based chicken chain Zaxbys® is opening its first two locations in New York this summer, representing a significant step in its national expansion strategy and bringing its operations across 24 states. Zaxbys is opening new restaurants in the Bronx and Manhattan. “New York is one of the most influential food cities in the world, and we’re incredibly proud to introduce Zaxbys to this market,” says Bernard Acoca, chief executive officer of Zaxbys. “Opening our first two restaurants in New York this summer marks an exciting milestone in our …
Huntington Station, N.Y. — 7th Avenue, a Los Angeles-based furniture brand of functionally-designed modular sofas, has opened a new 1,206-square-foot showroom at Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, N.Y., marking 7th Avenue’s first showroom on Long Island and expanding the brand’s growing partnership with Simon Property Group. “Long Island has one of the highest concentrations of homeowners in the New York metro area, and we’ve seen strong online demand from this region for years,” says Billy Shaw, co-founder and CEO of 7th Avenue. “Walt Whitman Shops gave us the opportunity …
Centerville, Utah — TruGolf Links will open a flagship location at the newly renovated Romeo Town Center in Romeoville, Ill., a southwest suburb of Chicago. The 5,000-square-foot facility will include TruGolf’s premium simulator bays and an upscale restaurant and full bar with plans to open this fall. As retail destinations diversify and work to create more compelling reasons to visit, adding this type of concept is a way to draw more customers on a regular basis to benefit the entire community. “We invest a lot of time and energy into …
Guthrie’s Enters Colorado with First Restaurant Led by Third-Generation Guthrie Family Members
Colorado Springs, Colo. — Guthrie’s, the original chicken-finger restaurant, will open its newest restaurant on July 14 in Colorado Springs, Colo. — marking the brand’s first-ever location in Colorado. The restaurant is also owned and operated by Guthrie family members Joe Kelly Guthrie, Tanner Guthrie and Garrison Guthrie. “Growing up, Guthrie’s has always been part of our family’s story, and it’s incredibly special to be opening a restaurant with my brother and dad,” says Tanner Guthrie. “As we looked at where to open our first restaurant, Colorado Springs stood out …