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Newspeopleretailers

JOANN President and CEO to Retire

by Katie Lee

Hudson, Ohio — JOANN Inc., the nation’s category leader in sewing and fabrics with one of the largest arts and crafts offerings, has announced the retirement of Wade Miquelon as president and chief executive officer effective, May 8, 2023. Chris DiTullio, executive vice president and chief customer officer, and Scott Sekella, executive vice president and chief financial officer, have been appointed to lead the interim office of the chief executive officer, and the board has commenced a search to identify a permanent replacement. “On behalf of the board, I’d like …

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construction and designNewsrestaurantssoftware/technology

sweetgreen Pilots Automation at New Store

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — sweetgreen has opened its first restaurant powered by automation, accelerating the industry’s adoption of advanced technology and taking steps toward the future of dining. The pilot store, located in Naperville, Ill., debuts new technology called the sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen, designed to enhance the customer experience and food quality, with a focus on fresh ingredients, fast service and friendly hospitality. With the advancement of automation playing a large role across industries today, sweetgreen is eager and excited to be an early adopter in the space, opening the first …

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franchise developmentNewsretailers

OHM Fitness to Open 70 New Locations Across Texas Triangle

by Katie Lee

Dallas — OHM Fitness will open 70 EMS fitness studios in the Texas Triangle through its newest franchise partner over the next few years. OHM Fitness offers a high-tech, high-energy EMS fitness experience that packs the benefits of an intense 2-hour workout into a low-impact, 25-minute session. Shivam Khanna recently secured the area representative rights to Texas and will bring 70 locations to the state, including 25 in Dallas Fort Worth, 20 in Austin and San Antonio, and 25 in Houston. Khanna plans to open up to 25 locations himself, …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

A&W Restaurants Aims to Open at Least 10 New Units in 2023

by Katie Lee

Lexington, Ky. — A&W Restaurants, the All-American restaurant franchise with 500-plus units nationwide, has had fast start to the year with three new restaurants opened, all indicative of the brand’s real estate flexibility and willingness to embrace non-traditional spaces. With a goal of opening 10 new locations in 2023, the franchisor is ahead of schedule. “One of the notable openings this year brought an A&W to a Walmart in Rock Hill, South Carolina,” says Paul Martino, president and COO of A&W. “This is our first entry into the Walmart space, …

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Newsremodelsretailers

Food Lion Unveils Remodel of Nearly 30 Wilmington, N.C.-Area Stores

by Katie Lee

Salisbury, N.C. — With a capital investment exceeding $50 million, Food Lion is unveiling remodeled stores in Wilmington, N.C., that feature a new, easier shopping experience for customers. On May 10, Food Lion will hold ribbon-cutting events in the Wilmington area at 24 stores, with five more to follow soon. The investment includes remodeling stores, providing e-commerce at every store through pickup and/or home delivery options, training and developing associates to provide the best customer experience and giving back to local communities. While renovating and refreshing its look, the redesign …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Your Pie Names New VP of Operations and Director of Technology

by Katie Lee

Atlanta, Ga. — To invest in the future of Your Pie and offer greater support to its franchise owners, the nation’s original fast-casual pizza brand has appointed several new hires to its corporate team. Most notably, Your Pie has added Justin Patterson as vice president of operations. A Your Pie franchise owner for more than 7 years, Patterson brings a wealth of industry experience and expertise to the brand’s leadership team. Patterson will be responsible for leading both franchise and company restaurants to grow sales, customer counts, margins and continue …

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construction and designNewsretailerssupply chain

Dollar General Grows Supply Chain Network by 3.2 Million Square Feet with 5 Distribution Facilities

by Katie Lee

Goodlettsville, Tenn. — Dollar General Corp. has announced recent expansions in its supply chain network that will grow the discount retailer’s distribution footprint by more than 3.2 million square feet. The Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based company has recently opened three new facilities and announced expansions of two existing campuses that will support Dollar General’s traditional goods, as well as its DG Fresh line of groceries. “The recent additions to our supply chain network aim to provide greater efficiencies, create additional jobs and drive positive economic impact,” says Tony Zuazo, executive vice president …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Captain D’s Expands Development Team with New Director of Franchise Development

by Katie Lee

Nashville, Tenn. — Captain D’s has hired Steve Bailey as director of franchise development. Bailey has more than 20 years of experience in franchise sales and development with multiple restaurant service brands, most recently with Fazoli’s. Focusing on territories east of the Mississippi River, he will support Captain D’s ongoing expansion throughout the country alongside longtime senior director of franchise development Steve Bielewicz, who is responsible for growing the company’s presence in the western region. “Captain D’s focus on flexible prototypes and cost-effective conversion opportunities is fueling increased interest from …

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Newspeopleretailers

Foot Locker Appoints Former Nike Executive to Lead WSS Banner

by Katie Lee

New York City — Foot Locker, Inc., a leading footwear and apparel retailer, has appointed Blanca Gonzalez as senior vice president and general manager of its WSS banner, effective May 15, 2023. WSS is best known for its neighborhood-based store presence and deep connection within Latino communities. Gonzalez joins Foot Locker from Nike Inc., where she served as vice president of North America product merchandising and brings more than 19 years of experience across various Nike leadership roles in marketing, merchandising and sales. Gonzalez will report directly to Frank Bracken, …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurantssoftware/technology

PizzaForno Expands into Georgia with 3 New Automated Pizzerias in Atlanta

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — PizzaForno, North America’s first automated pizzeria that bakes artisan pizza in less than 3 minutes, 24 hours a day, is officially expanding into Georgia. The first of three new locations will open on May 6 in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, with two additional locations to open around metro Atlanta later in May. The three entrepreneurs responsible for this expansion are business partners Tyler Young, Paul Nair and Mick Patel. Young has always had a passion for the restaurant industry, and started running restaurants when he was in college. Nair …

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