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Newport Beach, Calif. — Juice It Up! has opened its new Ehrenberg, Ariz., location, marking the brand’s entry into the Grand Canyon State. The Ehrenberg location is part of the bustling AZ Travel Plaza, adding to the store’s current food/drink offerings. Juice It Up! will continue expanding its footprint in Arizona with another opening in Kingman slated for fall 2023. “As a co-owner of the AZ Travel Plaza, I often consider new concepts that have the potential to thrive and provide unique experiences to our visitors. Having lived in Southern …

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Pomona, Calif. — Apex Imaging Services has welcomed Blake Kelly to the position of business development director. He has spent over 10 years in the industry of reimaging as a vice president of national accounts and is now dedicating his expertise to Apex Imaging Services. In his previous role, Kelly created and implemented a “CEO Ready” concept to ensure high-level customer service throughout all projects. He has an extensive portfolio, including managing national accounts over $300 million worth of projects. Previously, Kelly has spent his career focusing on exterior work …

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Katy, Texas — Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc., a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer, plans to open a total of 80 to 100 new stores by the end of 2026. Kickstarting those expansion plans will be its first location in Lafayette, Ind., opening this spring. The fourth location in Indiana, the more than 60,000-square-foot store will open in Lafayette Pavilions. “We’re excited to be a new destination for the Lafayette community,” says Sam Johnson, Academy’s executive vice president of retail operations. “At Academy Sports + Outdoors we …

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London — UK department store Marks & Spencer (M&S) and technology company Zyler have partnered to deliver an in-store virtual try-on experience. M&S enlisted the technology in its Oxford Circus and Harrogate locations, where the feature was trialed with clothing brand Jaeger. The introduction of this technology provides a personalized shopping journey where customers become the model. Shoppers add a head and shoulders photo and basic measurements to see themselves digitally in the Jaeger collection. Sales assistants guide customers through the process and give style advice. Alexander Berend, CEO of …

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Atlanta — Krystal unveiled its much anticipated smaller prototype at its new company location in Center Point, Ala., on January 10. The 1,700-square-foot drive-thru features the first company store opening in more than 6 years with an advanced, sleek design using a smaller footprint. There is no dining room in the new prototype. Whereas a traditional Krystal is 2,700 square feet, this prototype uses 20% less kitchen space — making it both cost-efficient and operationally strategic. Without a dining room, the design makes it convenient for hungry guests with its …

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San Leandro, Calif. — Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has started its second flagship store renovation at Ghirardelli Square. [Read about Phase I here.] The project will highlight Ghirardelli’s legacy as a U.S. chocolate pioneer and the company’s deep roots in San Francisco that date back to the 1850s. Last year, the company unveiled a completely reimagined Chocolate Experience Store, Ghirardelli’s other flagship retail space at Ghirardelli Square. The Original Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop will be closed during the renovation until its reopening in summer 2023.   Introduced in 1966, the …

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Las Vegas — As 2022 came to a close, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Wing Zone experienced another triumphant quarter to round out a record-breaking year for both brands. With the signing of 9 area development agreements in fourth quarter equating to a total of 92 new locations, Capriotti’s is closing out the year with a total of 235 new shops: 99 Capriotti’s and 136 Wing Zones. The Q4 area developer agreements will expand both brands into new territories in the U.S. and abroad. These signings will develop the Capriotti’s brand …

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New York City — WHP Global, a leading brand management firm and owner of Babies”R”Us®, has formed a new partnership with premier shopping and entertainment destination American Dream in Bergen County, N.J., to bring the Babies”R”Us brand back to customers in the U.S. with the debut of its flagship store, which is scheduled to open this summer. “Following the success of the Toys”R”Us flagship, which opened just over a year ago, we are thrilled to see Babies”R”Us back in the U.S. as part of the unparalleled retail experience that can …

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Denver — Teriyaki Madness, the Seattle-style Teriyaki Shop franchise system, is wrapping up the year at 37 new franchisees with 103 new units on tap. These openings helped the brand break into several new markets for the first time, including Louisiana, Georgia, Missouri and Massachusetts. In other words, Teriyaki Madness saw a 24% increase in open shops systemwide — growing its footprint by nearly a quarter. “People keep talking about a recession?” says Michael Haith, CEO of Teriyaki Madness. “We are closing out yet another groundbreaking year for our franchisees …

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Fairview Heights, Ill. — IMPACT Strategies has completed renovations to two retail suites for U.S. Properties Group (USPG). The space, totaling 5,721 square feet, is located between the Dollar Tree and Kohl’s stores on Beltline Road in Collinsville, Ill. Construction was completed on schedule in 3 months. The firm’s work will allow for the expansion of Dollar Tree and the creation of a new space for a future tenant (Suite A). TR,i Architects was the architect-of-record for the project. IMPACT Strategies was the original general contractor for the 19,590-square-foot retail …

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