Chula Vista, Calif. — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Hurricane Grill & Wings and eight other restaurant concepts, has opened Hurricane Grill & Wings in Chula Vista, Calif. This marks the restaurant brand’s first location in California and its first fast-casual restaurant concept nationwide. “We are excited to expand fan-favorite Hurricane Grill & Wings into the California market,” says Andy Wiederhorn, CEO of FAT Brands. “While we have had great success with our full-serve model, we see a huge appetite and demand for a fast-casual experience …
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Atlanta — On September 25, 2020, women’s apparel and fashion accessories retailer Charming Charlie reopened its first physical store at Cumberland Mall in Atlanta. This comes after the Houston-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in summer 2019 — the second time it had filed for bankruptcy in less than 2 years. At the time, the company closed all 261 of its stores across 38 states. Under the leadership of President Steve Lovell, Charming Charlie plans to roll out additional retail locations in markets across the U.S. over late 2020 …
Orlando, Fla. — Darden Restaurants Inc. has reported its sales fell 28.4% in its fiscal first quarter, which ended Aug. 30. The Orlando, Fla.-based company owns restaurant brands including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s. Darden reported that sales in its fine dining restaurants fell 38.9% year-over-year. Sales at Olive Garden slid 27.7%, while LongHorn saw a decrease of 16.3%. At the beginning of its first quarter, Darden had 68% of restaurants in its portfolio open, compared …
Orange County, Calif. — Rodeo 39 Public Market will be Southern California’s newest culinary and community experience when it opens in mid-October. Not your typical food hall, Rodeo 39 features expansive hangar doors that open up for an inside/outside setting, original artwork and murals from five different Southern California artists and several first-to-market retail and restaurant concepts. “We wanted to do something different and we were committed to breathing new life into this stretch of Orange County, right here in Stanton,” says Dan Almquist, managing partner of Frontier Real Estate …
Union, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has appointed Scott Lindblom as its new chief technology officer. Effective September 28, 2020, Lindblom will report directly to COO John Hartmann and will lead the company’s enterprise technology transformation. He joins the company from Michael’s. “Scott’s track record implementing leading IT solutions and digital fulfillment capabilities for a number of leading retailers will help us accelerate the modernization of our technology infrastructure and capabilities, to rebuild our authority in our core markets and deepen connections and loyalty with our customers,” Hartmann says. Prior to …
Atlanta — Jamba®, a global lifestyle brand leader, has signed a 50-unit deal to expand in Japan. With two Tokyo locations now open, ADASTRIA eat Creations Inc. — a subsidiary of one of the largest fashion and apparel companies in Japan — is driving Jamba’s Japan expansion. ADASTRIA has opened two locations in Tokyo and has plans to expand to 50 locations across Japan by 2025. “As we strategically expand our brand portfolio in select countries around the world, we believe that Japan is an ideal market for Jamba as …
Durham, N.C. — Luxury fashion specialty retailer HUGO BOSS is creating new in-store experiences for its shoppers with Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions. Using Toshiba’s TCx™ 800 to revitalize its front end and TCx™ 300 to optimize its mobile capabilities, HUGO BOSS is creating personalized shopping experiences and offers an innovative, shopper-focused technology. Inspired by an art gallery, HUGO BOSS’ new 5,000-square-foot store in the SoHo district of New York boasts an inviting and modern atmosphere. With its sleek, versatile design, the TCx 800 complements the store’s contemporary, minimalist aesthetic. Toshiba’s …
Davenport, Iowa — The state of Iowa’s first and only non-alcoholic bar called Unimpaired, located at 246 W. 3rd St. in the heart of downtown Davenport, has now opened. Unimpaired’s mission is to provide excellent customer service with the highest standards of integrity, as well as an environment where patrons can enjoy a non-alcoholic drink, relax and socialize in a space where fun times aren’t foggy and make memories to remember forever. At Unimpaired, locals and visitors can tap into a non-alcoholic environment and experience all the amenities of a …
Rosemont, Ill. — National real estate development and construction services provider The McShane Companies’ board of directors has appointed Molly McShane as chief executive officer, effective October 1, 2020. She previously held the position of chief operating officer. “During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead The McShane Companies than Molly,” says Jim McShane, company founder and chairman of the board. “Molly is a proven leader with a clear business vision and the ability to bring people together. Her vision for growth and diversification is exactly …
Chattanooga, Tenn. — Slim Chickens, a leading fast-casual franchise in the “better chicken” segment, has inked a deal that will bring 10 locations to cities throughout Tennessee. The Davis Group, which consists of Scott, Ricky and Cody Davis, will bring the restaurants to Jackson, Knoxville and Chattanooga. The Davis Group is partnering with David Hull, Greg Rowden and Josh Rowden to co-own and operate existing Slim Chickens restaurants in Memphis and Arkansas. They will continue development in those markets as well. “We are so excited to expand our Slim Chickens …