Houston — Shipley Donuts has signed four multi-unit deals to expand its national footprint, including in Las Vegas, its westernmost location, plus multiple new locations in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and New Orleans. Development plans include: • Three shops in Las Vegas, marking the brand’s first Nevada locations • Expansion of the brand’s Louisiana presence with five new shops in New Orleans • Three new Atlanta-area shops in Alpharetta, Roswell and Sandy Springs • Build-out of the brand’s Dallas-Fort Worth market with an agreement to open three additional shops throughout the area …
construction and design
New York City — Bambi Baby, a family-owned baby furniture and gear retailer with nearly 50 years of experience, has opened a new store in the heart of New York City. The newly opened location at 655 6th Ave. offers a curated selection of the best-in-class baby products and personalized services to families throughout the city and beyond. Since 1976, Bambi Baby has been a trusted resource for families, helping parents make informed decisions about everything from cribs and strollers to highchairs and car seats. What started as a small …
Mike’s Red Tacos Launches National Franchising Initiative with 200+ Locations Under Development
San Diego — Mike’s Red Tacos, the celebrated San Diego-born beef Birria brand, is fueling rapid national growth with the launch of a dynamic franchising initiative. An accomplished team of restaurant industry leaders is spurring expansion through a strategic investment in the brand. Together with the original Mike’s Red Tacos founder, they have created remarkable momentum for the brand, securing development agreements with experienced franchisees from Dave’s Hot Chicken, Jersey Mike’s, Blaze Pizza, Dunkin’, Little Caesars, Carl’s Jr, Wetzel’s Pretzels, etc. that total more than 200 planned locations. Leading the …
— By Jamie Tuinstra — Essential heating strategies for food halls and communal dining areas. Food halls and communal dining spaces have become essential gathering places, allowing patrons to enjoy great culinary variety in a lively, sociable environment. Such venues can be ideal for family outings, group meet-ups or simply for long, leisurely nights out. When winter arrives, though, these large, high-traffic environments face a significant operational challenge: maintaining a warm, comfortable atmosphere for guests without compromising safety or incurring excessive utility costs. Effective heating is not simply a matter …
Dallas — Black Sheep Coffee, an international coffee brand with a rapidly expanding U.S. presence, has secured a 20-store multi-unit development agreement across the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex. The deal marks a significant step in the brand’s Texas growth strategy and continued expansion across the United States. The agreement will bring 20 additional locations to the DFW region over the next 5 years, with planned sites across Richland Hills, Bedford, Plano, Garland, Rowlett, Mobile City, Sunnyvale, Richardson and Sachse. The expansion builds on Black Sheep Coffee’s established footprint in North …
New York City — Gregorys Coffee, a culture-defining coffee brand born in New York City, has officially launched its franchise program. After nearly 20 years of perfecting the craft coffee experience and scaling to more than 50 cafés, Gregorys is expanding through franchising with a proven brand, a time-tested model, deep guest loyalty and infrastructure built for long term growth. Since opening its first café in Manhattan in 2006, Gregorys has spent two decades earning loyalty through a quality-first approach that touches every part of the guest experience — from …
Berner International: Signature Vendor Spotlight
— Interview with Natalie Clarke — R&R: Where are you based and how long has the company been in business? Natalie Clarke: Headquarters is located in New Castle, Pennsylvania. We have been in business since 1956. R&R: What is your name and title, and how long have you been with the company? Clarke: Natalie Clarke, marketing manager, 1 year. R&R: What trades/services do you offer retailers and restaurants? Clarke: Berner manufactures high-performance air curtains for both front- and back-of-house applications. Our solutions support code compliance and cleanliness at service doors …
Irvine, Calif. — Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain for nearly 50 years, closed out 2025 with record unit growth, expanded national reach and more. Capping off the year, Mountain Mike’s grew its leadership team with the appointment of Sumi Ghosh as president and COO, strengthening the brand’s operational foundation as it enters its next growth phase. In 2025, Mountain Mike’s Pizza opened 24 new restaurants nationwide, marking the most new restaurant openings in its history, entered six new markets and reached a brand-defining milestone with the opening …
Richmond, Va. — Vicious Biscuit, an award-winning fast-casual breakfast concept, is expanding into Virginia for the first time. The brand has selected its inaugural location in the Old Dominion at 3036 Stony Point Rd. in Richmond, marking a key milestone in its continued national franchise growth. Located in the Stony Point Shopping Center, the 3,678-square-foot restaurant will be operated by franchise partner GR Waldrop, a Virginia native and longtime Jersey Mike’s operator doing business as Big Boys Biscuits, LLC. Waldrop is developing the market as part of a 4+ unit …
Lakewood, Colo. — Natural Grocers®, the nation’s premier family-operated organic and natural grocery retailer, plans to open a new store in Lake Geneva, Wis., this spring. Located off North Edwards Boulevard, the new store will be Natural Grocers’ first in the state of Wisconsin, marking a significant milestone for the growing retailer. Founded in 1955, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. is an expanding specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products and dietary supplements. Natural Grocers’ flexible smaller-store format allows it to offer affordable prices in a …