— 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 …
Vancouver, B.C. — CRAFT Restaurant & Beer Market plans to open its first U.S. location at Preston Center in Dallas in early 2026. This marks the company’s highly anticipated entry into the American market, building on its success across Canada. The flagship U.S. location will feature more than 100 beers on tap — including local Texas brews — along with cocktails, wine and a globally inspired menu of scratch-made dishes. In 2019, PJ L’Heureux, founder of CRAFT, partnered with Tom Gaglardi, owner of the Dallas Stars and the highly successful …
Bentonville, Ark. — On Jan. 17, Walmart unveiled its New Home Office campus in Northwest Arkansas, a 350-acre sustainably designed workplace that establishes a new standard for corporate headquarters, one that prioritizes worker well-being, environmental stewardship and public accessibility. The state-of-the art campus represents a multibillion-dollar investment in associate experience environmental leadership and community development, featuring mass timber construction, smart building technology, offices designed to be powered by renewable energy and seamless integration with Downtown Bentonville. The phased opening approach will continue throughout 2025, with the inaugural celebration marking the …
Atlanta — Hillphoenix, a pioneer in environmentally sustainable refrigeration, has once again earned the GreenChill Store Certification Excellence recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This achievement recognizes the commercial refrigeration systems manufacturer that installed the most advanced, sustainable refrigeration systems in GreenChill-certified stores in the past year. Hillphoenix has provided sustainable refrigeration for 777 stores. “We are committed to developing future-focused refrigeration solutions at Hillphoenix and very proud of our long history of developing sustainable refrigeration technology,” says Scott Martin, director of business development and industry relations for …
Asbury Park, N.J. — Solar Landscape, a leading commercial and community solar developer, has teamed up with Walmart, which plans to invest in 74 Solar Landscape community solar projects in Maryland and Illinois as part of a 3 million-square-foot clean energy portfolio. The commercial rooftop projects are currently under construction and expected to energize in 2024 and 2025. They will create nearly 43 megawatts (DC) of solar capacity for the surrounding communities — enough power to serve the equivalent of over 3,600 homes. Approximately half of the portfolio is designed …
Louisville, Ky. — On Oct. 8, Yum! Brands, Inc. released its annual Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report, detailing its advancements in reducing carbon emissions, improving packaging and more. The company has a longstanding dedication to responsible business practices, investing strategically in its three priority pillars of People, Food and Planet. “In 2023, we experienced a year of remarkable growth and remained focused on greenhouse gas reduction, sustainable packaging and having a positive community impact,” says David Gibbs, CEO of Yum! Brands. “Our ‘Good Growth’ strategy has propelled our sales and …
Grand Rapids, Mich. — Meijer has surpassed its industry-leading 2025 sustainability goal of cutting carbon emissions by 50% — one year ahead of schedule. The retailer set a target to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2018 levels. The target has not only been met but surpassed, achieving a 57% reduction in 2023. The retailer credits its clear plan, senior leader involvement and the dedication of its team members. “At Meijer, we understand that to be a good company, we must be a …
Batavia, Ill. — ALDI SOUTH Group has a goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its entire value chain by 2050, making it one of the first international grocery retailers with net-zero emissions targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). SBTi is a corporate climate action organization that enables companies to play their part in combating the climate crisis and set GHG emissions reduction targets in line with what is needed to mitigate global warming. As a part of ALDI SOUTH Group and one of America’s …
An approaching shift in refrigerants for heat pumps and air-conditioning systems will have far-reaching implications for restaurant and retail operators, potentially delaying the availability of new equipment, replacement parts and access to the service providers needed to install or repair them. “In the months before a rule change like this, everybody starts to scramble to get ready,” says John Brightwell, regional project manager at facilities repair service provider MaintenX. “We’ve budgeted for this and have adjusted our equipment, tools and training to install and service the new systems; but if …
Salisbury, N.C. — With a $365 million capital investment, Food Lion has enhanced the customer shopping experience with remodeled stores in the greater Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area and Mecklenburg County, Va. On Aug. 21, Food Lion will hold ribbon-cutting events at 167 stores in the greater Raleigh-Durham market, which is among the fastest growing areas nationwide. Nearly all stores are introducing self-checkout lanes, allowing customers to choose between traditional cashier-assisted checkout or self-checkout options. Additionally, Food Lion continues to invest in training and developing associates to provide the best customer experience. …
