Pittsburgh — Leading fashion destination rue21 welcomes Karlyn Mattson as the new executive vice president, chief customer officer. She has over 25 years of experience at global retailers including Target, Amazon, Macy’s and, most recently, GNC. At rue21, Mattson will help bolster the brand’s ethos, bringing a personalized approach to understanding, meeting and exceeding shoppers’ needs. “Karlyn’s industry leadership and dedication to customer needs is perfectly aligned with our mission at rue21,” says Josh Burris, president and CEO of rue21. “Her unique background will be invaluable as we continue to …
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San Francisco — Bay-Area based micro food hall, Local Kitchens, has recently appointed Jay Gentile as the concept’s new head of operations. He will be responsible for overseeing kitchen operations with a particular focus on the optimization of supply chains and the launch of new locations. Gentile brings more than 28 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, most recently as the CEO and co-president of Veggie Grill and its family of restaurant brands. While at Veggie Grill, Gentile generated over $60 million in revenue for the concept …
Miami — Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, a leading pet service franchise brand in the United States, is entering Illinois for the first time with a store set to open in the Chicago suburbs next year. The brand currently has more than 250 locations open or under development across 21 states offering luxury spa services, gourmet treats and premium pet nutrition. “This is an exciting development for Woof Gang and for pet owners seeking the very best for their beloved companions in the Chicago suburb,” says Ricardo Azevedo, chief executive …
Oceanside, Calif. — Kellermeyer Bergensons Services (KBS), a trusted partner to leading operations and facility managers across North America, has hired seasoned operational executive Ray Aschenbach as its new chief operating officer. “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Ray Aschenbach to the KBS team as our newly appointed chief operating officer,” says Mark Minasian, CEO at KBS. “Ray is an exceptional leader who brings a wealth of experience creating an environment that drives both operational efficiency and quality service delivery. He will be instrumental in generating continued growth …
Las Vegas — Las Vegas-based entrepreneur Dina Mitchell has revised her timeline to launch PowerSoul Cafe™, the world’s first certified gluten-free fast-food restaurant chain. The new brand’s flagship location along with two new additional sites in the Las Vegas valley are set open in fall 2023. The flagship location (pictured above) will be located at Tarkanian Plaza in Las Vegas. Additional sites will open at the intersection of S. Valley View Boulevard and W. Spring Mountain Road, with another site located in Henderson. Additional locations have been identified, with lease …
New York City — A&G Real Estate Partners is entertaining offers on 49 David’s Bridal leases across the United States — transactions that must be presented for bankruptcy court approval by June 30. “Interested retailers and landlords need to act now to seize these excellent real estate opportunities while they’re still available,” says Mike Matlat, senior managing director of A&G. Acting in its capacity as real estate advisor to the Conshohocken, Pa.-based retailer, A&G also plans to hold a July bankruptcy auction of an additional select group of David’s Bridal …
Indianapolis — Twin Peaks Restaurant celebrated its 100th lodge opening on June 2 in the Indianapolis suburb of Greenwood, Ind. From the time Twin Peaks CEO Joe Hummel opened his first lodge in the Atlanta area as a franchisee, it took Twin Peaks 12 years to reach its centennial location. The brand is now expected to expand even faster, having already opened four new locations — with 12 more lodges in seven new markets scheduled to open — this year alone. Twin Peaks anticipates 20 per year opening in the …
New York City — Saks Fifth Avenue is expanding its luxury personal shopping and styling service, the Fifth Avenue Club, with the launch of private, standalone suites in destinations across the U.S. These luxe Fifth Avenue Club Suites are an evolution of the brand’s existing Fifth Avenue Clubs, which have historically been housed within Saks Fifth Avenue stores and provide customers with the highest level of personalized service. Saks Fifth Avenue has partnered with leading luxury resort operators, including Marriott International and its portfolio of luxury brands including The Ritz-Carlton …
Montréal — Lightspeed Commerce Inc., a one-stop commerce platform for merchants and restaurateurs around the world, has released the latest version of its powerful restaurant solution: the Next Generation of Lightspeed Restaurant. This update, now available in the United States, revolutionizes restaurant operations by offering faster ordering and payments options on smartphones and by leveraging the power of data. New functionalities include: ‘Pay at Table’: Uniquely designed by Lightspeed, this simplifies group dining with smart and easy check splitting ‘Tap to Pay’ on iOS: Increases table turns by transforming every …
Plano, Texas — MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a 90-plus-unit better burger franchise, has spent the first quarter opening three new locations and planning for an additional 13 openings for the rest of the year. MOOYAH is expanding in St. Louis, Mo.; Lubbock, Texas; Phoenix; Southern California; Dallas-Fort Worth; Boca Raton, Fla.; and Boston. “There are some pretty obvious places that we’re trying to fill in,” says Doug Willmarth, president and COO. “We have core markets in the Sun Belt from California to Florida, and we are filling in those …