— By Katie Lee — Founder Peter Cancro looks back on 50 years of Jersey Mike’s ownership — and what the next 50 could bring. When he was 17, it was a very good year for Peter Cancro. The high school senior was president of his class. He was on track to study law and political science at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; he might even play football there. He’d worked part-time at the local sandwich shop since he was 14. Summers were a blast because the sub shop, …
— By Katie Lee — Krystal sets the stage for new growth by focusing on fundamentals: people, processes and prototypes. Atlanta-based Krystal, the second-oldest fast-food chain in the U.S. — and the original home of the slider in the South — is forging a comeback. As it modernizes with new store layouts, technologies and processes, the heritage QSR brand also honors its 92-year history by embracing its roots and prioritizing “good old-fashioned hospitality” and people-first strategies. Leading this brand reinvention is Amanda Hyde, who was promoted to senior vice president …
— By Katie Lee — How Half Price Books has grown into the largest family-owned new and used bookstore chain in the U.S. by rehoming books into the hands of more people — and not into landfills. Book lovers often joke that they could “start their own bookstore” from the stacks of books tucked into every corner of their own home, but imagine actually doing it. Over 50 years ago, a pair of bibliophiles named Ken Gjemre and Pat Anderson did just that. In the summer of 1972, they drew …
— Interview with Flynn Dekker — With a fresh new development team in place, Shipley Do-Nuts leans into growing digital sales and new product innovation as it enters new states and markets. Shipley Do-Nuts has been a sweet, savory mainstay for many generations, first opening in 1936 and now operating more than 360 units in 12 states — and growing. This year, the Houston-based brand added significant new members to its executive team, as well as more than 100 units to its development pipeline. To support this dynamic growth, Shipley …
— By Katie Lee — PREIT is redefining the role of malls by transforming them into vibrant community hubs. As a premier developer and operator of retail and entertainment destinations all over the country, in some of the most sought-after, high barrier-to-entry MSAs, PREIT has long understood the importance of creating a “sense of place.” But with more than 6 decades of experience and a foresight to see beyond the traditional malls or power centers of its early years, today PREIT and its 17 premier properties offer so much more …
— By Katie Lee — Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a Newport Beach, California-based family-style pizza chain for more than 45 years, continues to scale the heights toward the peak of franchise success. Born out of the Bay Area in 1978, Mountain Mike’s Pizza started franchising in 1981 and grew steadily and regionally over the ensuing decades. More recently, Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme, former multi-unit Burger King franchisees and Stanford alumni who frequented the chain in college, came along and shook things up. In 2017, the pair acquired the company …
— 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, …
— By Katie Lee — Carvel celebrates 90 years of soft serve ice cream with a new shoppe design and growth in new markets. Success doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen by accident. However, the beloved ice cream brand Carvel may beg to differ. It was way back in 1934, in Hartsdale, New York, when founder Tom Carvel had a flat tire in his ice cream truck. Pulling over, he tried to salvage the product he had left and sold the slightly melted ice cream to people passing by. …
— By Hayden Spiess — Japanese specialty retailer Daiso is bringing its eclectic range of retail to more markets throughout the United States and broadening its consumer base. In a recent video review of Daiso, YouTube content creator Retail Archaeology — who produces profiles on retail concepts — displays the spoils of their visit to a Daiso store in Chandler, Arizona: a miniature fan and a pack of instant ramen. This random coupling of items exemplifies the eclectic nature of the Japanese retailer’s product assortment. According to John Clarke, chief …
— Interview with Maria Rivera — In its innovative small spaces, the young slider brand is going big places — with 200 modular “Cans” open or under development in 16 states. The only thing “small” about Smalls Sliders is the unique space it inhabits. Utilizing a creative “Can” buildout, the expanding burger brand operates out of a 750-square-foot shipping container — keeping construction costs down and clearing the way for easy, efficient openings almost anywhere. Last year, Smalls Sliders began further positioning itself as a disruptor in the ‘big burger’ …
