Miami — Ashley Stewart, the leading American plus-size retailer and lifestyle brand, has opened two new retail experiences in the South Florida market at two of the country’s premier outlet retail shopping centers: Dolphin Mall and Sawgrass Mills. “We’ve been in the business for 30 years, and throughout that time, we’ve continued our commitment to body diversity and inclusion,” says Gary Sheinbaum, CEO of Ashley Stewart. “We believe we have the best fit in the world for plus-size women and pride ourselves on boldness, individuality, color and pattern.” Proud to …
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Fairview Heights, Ill. — IMPACT Strategies, a premier provider of construction management, pre-construction management, general contracting and design-build services, has opened its new Cincinnati, Ohio, office. Additionally, IMPACT has appointed Patrick Mason as project director/market leader in the new office. He will pursue regional development opportunities, manage the design and construction process on projects, and foster business relationships in the surrounding area. “As we monitored the trajectory of the Ohio/Kentucky market, we knew expanding to a region with such solid velocity for growth was the right move for us,” says …
Mt. Prospect, Ill. — AllPoints, a global foodservice parts and supplies provider, recently hired Jim Nelson as senior vice president of sales. In his new role, Nelson will be responsible for leading the AllPoints sales team in driving new market penetration and for spearheading customer relationships. Nelson has over 20 years of experience driving company revenue and improving sales and operational performance. In his most recent role, Nelson was responsible for all brand sales in both retail and commercial channels and led his team to significantly increase both sales and …
Plano, Texas — Pizza Hut has promoted David Graves to president of Pizza Hut U.S., reporting to Pizza Hut division CEO Aaron Powell, effective January 1, 2022. Graves currently serves as general manager of Pizza Hut U.S. and will succeed the interim president of Pizza Hut U.S., Kevin Hochman. “David has a well-deserved reputation for delivering results, repeatedly demonstrating his expertise in identifying solutions to business challenges that not only enhance the experience for customers, but also benefit restaurant economics, and I couldn’t be more pleased by his promotion,” says …
Hartland, Wis. — The nation’s largest and fastest-growing battery, light bulb, key fob and repair franchise, Batteries Plus, has seen significant third quarter growth with the signing of 20 new store agreements, bringing the brand’s total signings for the year to 66. Included in the 20 new store agreements was a 10-unit signing which will expand the brand in Nevada and Utah, a three-unit signing in Philadelphia and multiple two-packs set to expand Batteries Plus into Sacramento, Calif., and Wichita, Kan. Additional single-unit signings will grow the brand in Georgia, Texas, …
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Dallas-based global design consulting firm Harrison has been enlisted by Fogo de Chão to apply its branding, interior design and architectural expertise to several of the brand’s new restaurants across the country, including its upcoming Fort Lauderdale, Fla., location. Harrison will oversee the interior design and architecture for the restaurant, slated to open in 2022. Fogo first announced plans to open its fifth Florida location on the corner of Southeast Third Avenue and Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale earlier this year. “We are delighted to …
East Rutherford, N.J. — Hudson, a Dufry company and travel experience leader with more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks and tourist destinations across North America, has shared the vision for its next-generation Brookstone airport stores, reflecting Hudson’s commitment to reinvigorating the powerhouse brand after becoming its exclusive airport retailer in 2019. Now with a sleek, ultra-modern store design and expanded product assortment, Brookstone celebrates a differentiated shopping experience for the traveler — driven by robust industry insights, built on brand accessibility, and positioned as an innovative, one-stop-shop. …
Louisville, Ky. — Biscuit Belly, a chef-driven fast-casual breakfast and brunch concept, has signed development agreements for 10 franchised units, five of which will be located in the Atlanta metropolitan area, with an additional five units to be built in the Nashville DMA. These two agreements are in addition to the 10 units signed earlier this spring, resulting in commitments for a total of 20 units in the first 9 months of 2021. The brand also plans to expand with additional company-owned restaurants in the Louisville and Southern Indiana markets. …
Marshall, Mich. — Discount retailer Kmart is closing its final store in the state of Michigan, according to local media reports. The last remaining store is in Marshall, which is located about 45 miles south of Lansing. The store is expected to close in November. Kmart opened its first location in Garden City, Mich., in 1962. In its prime in the 1990s, Kmart operated more than 2,300 locations in the United States. The current parent company of Kmart, Transformco, also owns Sears, which recently unveiled plans to shutter its final …
Fort Worth, Texas — Westwood Contractors has added Michael Roop as director of operations, effective October 4. From its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, Roop will be directly responsible for supervising the company’s project management team and the general field superintendent. His key accountabilities include developing and monitoring operations, project management, field, administrative processes and procedures, and ensuring compliance. Roop has 27 years of experience in the construction industry, including positions with Trademark Property Company and Bridgestone Retail Operations. Throughout his professional career he has successfully led a variety of …