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Nordstrom Rack Expanding Footprint in the Northwest with 3 New Stores

by Katie Lee

Seattle — Seattle-based fashion retailer Nordstrom, Inc. plans to open three new Nordstrom Rack stores this fall. The new stores will open in Union Gap, Wash.; Olympia, Wash.; and Salem, Ore. “We look forward to opening these new Nordstrom Rack locations in Union Gap, Olympia and Salem communities, strengthening our network of stores, and introducing new customers to the Rack’s unique product offering,” says Carl Jenkins, senior vice president of Nordstrom Rack Stores. With the addition of these three new locations, Nordstrom will operate 12 Nordstrom Rack stores and six …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Starbucks Enters New Era of Growth Driven by 3-Year Reinvention Plan

by Katie Lee

Seattle — At Starbucks’ recent biennial Investor Day in Seattle, interim CEO Howard Schultz, CFO Rachel Ruggeri and other Starbucks leaders showcased the company’s Reinvention plan, which aims to invest in partners, customers and stores. The plan is expected to accelerate the company’s long term growth, progressively expand operating margin and drive high-teens non-GAAP EPS growth annually through fiscal 2025. “As we execute on our Reinvention plan, we are building on our 51-year history of market leading innovation to position our business and our brand for the next chapter of …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

WaBa Grill Inks 20-Store Development Deal for Northern California

by Katie Lee

Anaheim Hills, Calif. — WaBa Grill is growing its footprint throughout Northern California with a new development deal that will bring 20 more restaurants from Fresno to Sacramento. The 20-store development deal was signed by longtime WaBa Grill franchisees Gurpreet and Navreet Boparai, who currently own and operate three WaBa Grill locations in Ventura County. The Boparais now will develop the brand in 16 California counties, some being first-time markets. “One of our primary development goals has always been the expansion of WaBa Grill throughout the West with strong and …

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Newsretailers

Ballard Designs Debuts Design Studio Store Concept

by Katie Lee

West Palm Beach, Fla. — Ballard Designs has chosen West Palm Beach, Fla., as the location of its inaugural Interior Design Studio concept store, and this month opened a newly renovated 2,500-square-foot space to become Ballard’s 17th retail location nationwide. “We’re so excited to launch our first ever Design Studio in this area because our 40+ years of client buying trends and business data tell us that the people of West Palm Beach love Ballard Designs,” says Dominic Milanese, vice president of retail for Ballard Designs. The new retail studio …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Great American Cookies Opens First Converted Brand Location in Las Vegas

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Great American Cookies and 16 other restaurant concepts, has opened the first converted Great American Cookies from Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® in Las Vegas. The opening follows the May 2022 announcement of FAT Brands’ acquisition of the franchised chain of stores. Two additional converted stores are also set to open in Las Vegas by the end of 2022, furthering Great American Cookies’ presence in the city. “Over the last several months, we have been working with …

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Newsretailers

Regal Cinemas’ Parent Company Cineworld Group Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection

by Katie Lee

Brentford, UK — Cineworld Group, parent company to Regal Cinemas among other international theater brands, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. While a specific plan regarding the company’s real estate was not announced, Cineworld expects to pursue an “optimization strategy” regarding its locations across the U.S. as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. The company is engaging in discussions with its landlords on improving cinema lease terms in hopes of further positioning Cineworld for long term growth in the …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Slim Chickens Adds Several Locations to South Dakota and Iowa

by Katie Lee

Sioux Falls, S.D. — Slim Chickens, a leading fast-casual franchise in the better-chicken segment, is expanding its presence throughout eastern South Dakota and northwest Iowa. Existing franchisee Todd Porter of TNT Chicken is spearheading this expansion. Porter is well-versed in the restaurant industry. In late 2017, he added Slim Chickens to his portfolio alongside several restaurant concepts, including local staples Chevys Fresh Mex and Johnny Carino’s. Porter also has experience in the full-service restaurant sector, as he owned and operated multiple Applebee’s locations throughout South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska. His …

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Newspeoplesoftware/technologyvendors

Dragonfruit AI Names Vice President of Business Development 

by Katie Lee

Menlo Park, Calif. — Dragonfruit AI, retail’s first massively scalable video AI platform, has named Ray Cooke — most recently senior vice president at Hanwha Techwin America — as its new vice president of business development. Dragonfruit’s Frontier was custom-built for Retail Loss Prevention/Asset Protection (Video Summaries, ORC Investigations, OSHA Compliance, Slip/Fall, Liquid Spill), Store Operations (Checkout Metrics, Point-of-Sale Analysis with Video Verification) and Marketing/Merchandising (In-store Commerce Funnels). Designed from the ground-up for multi-location retailers, Frontier provides the flexibility for retailers to start solving their most pressing needs and add …

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Newspeopleretailers

ABG Appoints Executive Vice Chairman

by Katie Lee

New York City — Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, has appointed Matt O’Toole as executive vice chairman. In his new role, O’Toole will work in tandem with ABG’s leadership team on new brand acquisitions, driving strategic initiatives, as well as supporting the global expansion of Reebok. “We are thrilled to welcome Matt O’Toole to ABG’s leadership team,” says Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO, ABG. “Matt brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the footwear, apparel, equipment and sports marketing business. For …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Bloomin’ Brands Selects api(+) for Fleming’s Flagship

by Katie Lee

Tampa, Fla. — api(+) is providing branding, design and architecture services for a new Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar flagship, a freestanding, 300-seat fine dining concept to be located near Bloomin’ Brands’ headquarters in Tampa, Fla. api(+) was selected for its creative expertise in creating flagship and prototype concepts in the foodservice and food retail industries, and for its understanding of the Tampa Bay marketplace. The flagship is slated to open in summer 2023. Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. is one of the largest casual dining restaurant companies whose four founder-inspired …

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