Atlanta — Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept, will open its 300th restaurant nationwide, located at 1301 S. Babcock St. in Melbourne, Fla., on May 7. This milestone follows a robust pipeline of development, with Chicken Salad Chick welcoming 37 new locations in 2024, followed by 21 in the first half of 2025 alone. “Chicken Salad Chick is a unique, one-of-a-kind restaurant concept we truly believe in,” says Allison Gibson, franchise owner, Chicken Salad Chick of Melbourne. “We love the soul behind this brand, and …
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Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Kohl’s Corporation’s board of directors has appointed Michael Bender as interim chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. Bender has served as a director of the board since July 2019 and was appointed board chair in May 2024. The board will initiate a search to identify a permanent CEO and retain a leading search firm to assist with this process. Bender’s appointment follows the board’s decision to terminate Ashley Buchanan for cause. An investigation conducted by outside counsel and overseen by the audit committee of the board …
Boston — Gong cha, the world’s premier bubble tea brand with nearly 2,200 stores in 29 international markets, is accelerating its U.S. growth with major expansion plans across the Western United States. With more than 200 of its 240 U.S. stores currently located east of the Rockies, the brand is now entering new markets including Arizona, the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii, as well as ramping up development in California. “With more than 200 stores east of the Rockies, we’ve laid a strong foundation — and now we’re building on that …
Philadelphia — PREIT has named its next wave of retail additions to Cherry Hill Mall, one of the region’s premier shopping destinations, located in Cherry Hill, N.J. Anchoring the new lineup will be DICK’S House of Sport, a new retail experience from DICK’S Sporting Goods. Replacing the former One Cherry Hill office building, the new space will open in 2026 and introduce a new entrance, infusing fresh energy into the 1.3 million-square-foot shopping center. This targeted investment aligns with PREIT’s value-enhancing strategy with a focus on repurposing underutilized real estate …
Los Angeles — Sweetgreen, Inc. has appointed Jason Cochran as its chief operating officer, effective May 5, 2025. Cochran will oversee field operations and as well as operations services and innovation for the company and will report directly to Sweetgreen’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Jonathan Neman. Cochran joins Sweetgreen from past positions with Pizza Hut, Chipotle and GameStop. “Jason is a trusted and visionary leader with hands-on operational experience at growth-oriented brands,” says Neman. “His strategic mindset, operational discipline and ability to inspire teams make him uniquely positioned to …
Irvine, Calif. — T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian grocery retailer, will open its first Southern California store in the Great Park community — a master-planned development within the City of Irvine — slated for winter 2026. Following the debut of its first U.S. store in Bellevue, Wash., in December 2024, T&T is continuing its U.S. expansion with a location in Irvine. Located at The Canopy at Great Park, the new 34,000-square-foot store will have convenient access from the future 133 Freeway interchange and its proximity to the Great Park Sports …
Barstow, Calif. — Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has made its highly anticipated debut in California with a new location in Barstow, which opened on April 28, 2025. Located at 1523 East Main St., this marks the brand’s first foray into the California market, bringing its signature tacos, memorable drinks, and laid-back vibe to the West Coast. The new shop is owned and operated by the Soleimani Group, an experienced multi-unit franchisee group with over 30 IHOP locations. “Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has built a passionate following across the country, and we’re confident …
Henderson, N.C. — Big Lots! will be reopening 132 stores in May 2025. This expansion under the direction of new owners, Variety Wholesalers, builds on the positive customer response to the initial reopenings of Big Lots! stores in April 2025 and further solidifies the discount retailer’s return to the American marketplace. “We’re excited to bring an additional 132 Big Lots! locations back to life in May,” says Lisa Seigies, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers. Big Lots! stores will reopen in May in two phases, on May 1 and May …
Dallas — TGI Fridays has appointed Phil Broad as president of TGI Fridays International Franchising. Based in Dubai, Broad will oversee the brand’s international operations and franchise partnerships, with a focus on accelerating global growth and delivering exceptional guest experiences worldwide. Broad served as managing director of TGI Fridays UK from 1997 to 2000. In addition to his deep understanding of the brand, he has over 30 years of global leadership experience in the food and beverage, hospitality and retail sectors. “Phil’s return to the Fridays family comes at a …
Toronto — Hudson’s Bay Company ULC will liquidate its remaining six Hudson’s Bay stores and one Saks Fifth Avenue location. At this time, the company believes that a viable bid for the current six-store model is unlikely, and therefore will begin liquidation sales in these stores on April 25. The remaining locations will join the 73 other Hudson’s Bay, 13 Saks OFF 5TH and two Saks Fifth Avenue locations already undergoing liquidation sales following the company’s filing under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). Should a buyer bid be accepted, …