Athens, Ga. — Zaxby’s, a rapidly growing Athens, Ga.-based QSR franchise, now with over 930 locations, has recently signed a franchise development deal that will lead the company to enter its 21st state: Arizona. “This is such an exciting time for us,” says Bert Lane, Zaxby’s vice president of development. “Not only are we seeing growth in our tried-and-true Mid-Atlantic states and Southeast, but we’re thrilled to expand our footprint in the western part of the United States.” This year alone, Zaxby’s has sold 51 new locations and is on …
News
Plano, Texas — JCPenney is building upon a self-funded reinvestment plan and customer value proposition aimed at fueling long term growth and increasing customer loyalty and frequency. JCPenney plans to reinvest more than $1 billion into the business by fiscal year 2025 to further improve customer experience and operational efficiencies. This reinvestment builds on significant progress in fiscal year ‘22, including the launch of JCPenney Beauty, completed store refreshes and improved digital shopping. Building on key transformations already completed across key areas of the business, the planned reinvestments will strengthen …
Lake Forest, Calif. — Del Taco® has debuted its new “Fresh Flex” Drive-Thru Only location. Opening in Albuquerque, N.M., the location’s small footprint spans just 1,200 square feet. “Our Fresh Flex design offers a modern, sleek look that is aligned with our Del Taco® Better Mex® brand promise — better quality, better value,” says Tim Linderman, chief development officer. “This design allows us to reduce the overall footprint of the building which creates more real estate flexibility and the potential to reduce total buildout costs which will allow us to …
Pittsburgh — Giant Eagle, Inc., one of the nation’s leading regional food, fuel and pharmacy retailers, has appointed Bill Artman as chief executive officer after having been named interim CEO in March. During his nearly 40-year tenure with the company, Artman has served in various executive leadership roles, including president of supermarkets, executive vice president and senior vice president, retail operations. “Bill already has made a tremendous impact in his interim role, giving the board confidence that he is the right leader to take Giant Eagle to new heights. We …
Detroit — Little Caesars, the world’s largest privately owned pizza chain, has experienced explosive sales and new unit growth over the last several years, in existing and new countries around the globe. To support this and ongoing growth, Little Caesars’ 18-year CEO Dave Scrivano is promoting Paula Vissing and Ed Gleich to more expansive posts. Vissing, formerly chief operating officer, will now serve as president of Little Caesars global retail. Gleich, formerly chief innovation officer, will serve as president of global services for the brand. They will continue to report …
Lenexa, Kan. — A leading sports and merchandise retailer, Rally House, has opened five new stores in five states. One store joins the Omaha, Neb., roster (L Street Marketplace), while the others arrive in fresh markets like Central Pennsylvania (Chambersburg Crossing); Lexington, Ky., (Hamburg Pavilion); Tyler, Texas (Cumberland Park); and Tempe, Ariz. (Tempe Marketplace). August has been a month of outstanding growth for Rally House, with seven stores in one weekend to start the month and five stores in one weekend to end the month, bringing the month’s total to …
Atlanta — Krystal, the original quick-service restaurant chain in the South, is unveiling a strategic refranchising initiative aimed at propelling the expansion of its brand presence. The program involves offering existing company-owned locations in markets previously unavailable for franchising, with a targeted focus on attracting established multi-unit operators who possess a proven track record and a desire to acquire a successful portfolio of existing restaurants and continue to build the market with new locations. This strategic move aligns with Krystal’s ambition to amplify its footprint across the United States, transitioning …
Clovis, Calif. — The Sierra Vista Mall has added a new solar program from King Energy that is expected to generate 2,830 megawatts of sustainable energy annually for the 762,000-square-foot shopping mall in Clovis, Calif. “This groundbreaking solar initiative represents a significant step forward in our commitment to environmental stewardship at the Sierra Vista Mall,” says Elliot Nassim, president of Mason Asset Management. “In addition to its remarkable environmental impact, this solar program will generate numerous benefits for Sierra Vista Mall and the local community. By decreasing reliance on non-renewable …
Milford, Conn. — Private equity firm Roark Capital has entered into a definitive agreement with Subway to acquire the Milford, Conn.-based restaurant chain. The price was not disclosed, but according to CNBC, Subway previously sought $10 billion, and The Wall Street Journal reported on August 21 that Roark offered $9.6 billion. According to CNBC, other bidders reportedly included TDR Capital and Sycamore Partners. Founded more than 50 years ago by Peter Buck and Fred DeLuca, Subway boasts 36,592 restaurants globally, according to the company website. Market-research firm Technomic has reported that the chain garnered $9.8 billion …
La Habra, Calif. — The board of directors of Howard’s, Southern California’s premier independent appliance/TV/mattress retailer, has appointed industry leader Peter Boutros as its new chief executive officer. Boutros will also join the company’s board of directors. Boutros is a respected retail and branded consumer goods executive with broad management experience. As CEO, Boutros will position the company for a new era of Howard’s omnichannel growth. “Peter’s an accomplished executive with a strong record in C-suite leadership roles and deep general management experience at Kenmore/Craftsman/Diehard, Disney and Nestle. He is …