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Universal Music Group Opening 2 New UMusic Shops in New York and London

by Katie Lee

New York and London — Universal Music Group (UMG), a world leader in music-based entertainment, in partnership with UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle, its entertainment driven hospitality venture, is opening two new UMusic Shop locations in New York and London. Each UMusic Shop offers exclusive custom collections and pieces inspired by UMG’s iconic artists, songwriters and legendary labels, providing fans with new dedicated locations to meet, share and enjoy exclusive experiences that bring them closer than ever before to the artists they love. UMusic Shop NY opened on Dec. 10, at …

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Marco’s Pizza Names New CFO

by Katie Lee

Toledo, Ohio — Marco’s Pizza has appointed Bill Schaffler, a seasoned financial and operations leader with deep experience in high-growth restaurant and hospitality brands, as its new chief financial officer (CFO). Schaffler joins Marco’s Pizza with a strong foundation in private-equity environments, multi-unit expansion and enterprise-level financial performance. His background includes guiding financial strategy and technology modernization at Hopdoddy Burger Bar, leading brand and operational transformation as president and CEO of Ascension Coffee Company and driving systemwide efficiencies and growth in CFO roles at Nothing Bundt Cakes and La Madeleine. …

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franchise developmentNewsretailers

Build-A-Bear x Hello Kitty and Friends Workshop Expand with New Locations

by Katie Lee

St. Louis — Build-A-Bear Workshop and Sanrio®, the global lifestyle brand best known for Hello Kitty®, are continuing their national expansion of the Build-A-Bear x Hello Kitty and Friends Workshop with new locations set to open at American Dream in East Rutherford, N.J., and Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., in early 2026. The first Build-A-Bear & Hello Kitty and Friends Workshop opened in Los Angeles last year and quickly became a go-to destination for collectors, families and devoted Sanrio fans. Its strong appeal made it clear that the experience …

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Playa Bowls Ends 2025 with 85 New Shops and 200+ Franchise Commitments

by Katie Lee

Belmar, N.J. — Playa Bowls, the nation’s leading superfruit bowl shop, is closing out a high-growth year with multi-unit agreements signed throughout third and fourth quarters and continued expansion across key U.S. markets. Following the recent launch of its first international development agreement (in Canada), the brand maintained its upward trajectory domestically with 85 new shops opening in 2025, including first-time market entries across multiple states, and more than 200 signed franchise commitments. Playa Bowls enters 2026 with demand rising from both new and existing multi-unit operators. Within the past …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Target Opens a Design-Forward Shoppable Concept Store in SoHo, New York

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — Target Corporation has officially opened its newly transformed Target SoHo — a one-of-a-kind concept store. Located in the heart of New York City at 600 Broadway, Target SoHo marks a bold new chapter in Target’s commitment to style and design, bringing the brand’s DNA to life in an immersive, experiential format that’s as shoppable as it is inspiring. Target SoHo delivers a dynamic, continuously evolving assortment designed to keep pace with what’s next — making it the ultimate destination for guests who want to shop the trends as …

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Newk’s Eatery Opens First Kansas Location

by Katie Lee

Wichita, Kan. — Newk’s Eatery will debut its first location in the state of Kansas on Dec. 10. Opening at The Waterfront on Wichita’s East Side, the new eatery’s dining room can seat up to 146 guests and has one of the largest Wichita flag murals in the city. “We have been looking forward to bringing Newk’s Eatery to Wichita for a long time,” says Melody Matulewic, franchise owner of Newk’s Eatery. “Our team values hospitality and service and we believe this community will connect with that. Opening here allows …

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Boden Opens First U.S. Store

by Katie Lee

Alpharetta, Ga. — British clothing brand Boden opened its first-ever store in the United States on Nov. 21 at mixed-use destination Avalon in Alpharetta, Ga. The 2,000-square-foot retail space marks a key milestone in the brand’s U.S. growth strategy. The new store blends color and wit with the quality craftsmanship that Boden’s customer knows and loves. A bespoke chandelier, commissioned in partnership with British design house Richard Taylor Designs and handcrafted in Italy, lights the space with a gallery-style exhibition featuring iconic British figures personally chosen by its founder and …

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Newspeoplerestaurants

Velvet Taco Names New CEO

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Velvet Taco, the fast-casual restaurant celebrated for its globally inspired tacos and bold flavors, has named Chris Schultz as CEO. He will lead the brand’s next phase of growth in the U.S. and internationally, with a focus on operations, innovation and elevating the overall guest experience. Schultz brings more than 30 years of restaurant leadership experience. Most recently, he served as CEO of Voodoo Doughnut, where he guided the brand’s expansion into new markets while keeping its distinctive culture intact. Before that, he spent 9 years as senior …

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Bed Bath & Beyond Names New Chief of Stores

by Katie Lee

Murray, Utah — Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc. and The Brand House Collective, Inc. have appointed Glen Cary as chief of stores for Bed Bath & Beyond and its family of brands. He brings more than 25 years of senior retail leadership, including over a decade at Bed Bath & Beyond where he served as Bed Bath & Beyond chief of stores as well as president of buybuy BABY. Cary has led multibillion-dollar operations, built customer-first cultures, and driven disciplined execution across large store networks. His new role will leverage …

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Albertsons® Companies Launches Digital Shopping Assistant Powered by Open AI

by Katie Lee

Boise, Idaho — Albertsons Companies, Inc. is marking a major milestone in its digital transformation journey: the launch of the Albertsons AI shopping assistant, an industry-leading web browser experience designed to make grocery shopping faster, smarter and more personalized. As the industry leans into agentic commerce, the Albertsons AI shopping assistant moves beyond search to execute complex end‑to‑end grocery tasks helping customers complete shopping, from recipe to cart, in minutes. Building on the success of the company’s Ask AI tool introduced earlier this year, the agentic shopping assistant is a …

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