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Primark to Make Minnesota Debut at Mall of America in September

by Katie Lee

New York City — Primark, the international clothing retailer known for delivering quality fashion at value prices, will open in the iconic Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., on Sept. 3, its first store in the state. This follows the opening of Primark’s first store in Indiana at Castleton Square Mall in July and the upcoming opening of the retailer’s second store in the greater Orlando metropolitan area at Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets on Aug. 20. Primark’s Mall of America location will boast nearly 35,000 square feet of retail selling …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Chipotle Debuts in Saudi Arabia with First Restaurant in Riyadh

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its first restaurant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) later this month in partnership with Alshaya Group, a leading international franchise retail operator. Located at Sidra, the premier dining destination in Riyadh next to the Granada Mall, the restaurant marks Chipotle’s entry into Saudi Arabia and another milestone in the company’s international growth strategy. “We’re pleased to introduce Chipotle to guests in Saudi Arabia for the first time,” says Nate Lawton, chief business development officer at Chipotle. “Expanding into the …

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Newspeopleretailers

Bed Bath & Beyond Names Chief Accounting Officer and Deputy CFO

by Katie Lee

Nashville, Tenn. — Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc. has appointed Jill Windrum, CPA, as chief accounting officer and deputy chief financial officer. Windrum brings almost 25 years of financial and accounting expertise. She has served in multiple CFO roles, including as chief financial officer of Maxar Technologies’ approximately $500 million U.S. Government business, CFO of its $1 billion Earth Intelligence business and interim CFO of Maxar during its acquisition by Advent International. “We are building a company that demands financial rigor, operating discipline and accountability at every level, and that …

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Qu Appoints Founder of Brink POS as Chief Product & Technology Officer

by Katie Lee

Arlington, Va. — Restaurant technology is entering one of its most significant periods of transformation, as advances in artificial intelligence and edge technologies reshape how restaurants operate and serve guests. To help enterprise QSR and fast-casual brands navigate these technology shifts, Qu has appointed restaurant technology pioneer Paul Rubin as chief product & technology officer. Rubin brings more than 30 years of experience building and scaling restaurant technology platforms, including founding Brink POS, one of the industry’s first cloud-based point-of-sale systems, and helping guide product strategy at PAR Technology. At …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

First Co-Branded Location Planned for Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John’s

by Katie Lee

Palmetto, Fla. — Two Inspire Brands favorites are joining forces for the first time. On Aug. 18, Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John’s® will open the country’s first co-branded location at 5241 69th St. E in Palmetto, Fla., bringing hand-sauced wings and made-to-order subs together under one roof. The location is owned and operated by Quality Foods Restaurant Group, which operates three other Buffalo Wild Wings locations across Florida. “Bringing the first-ever Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John’s together is something special, and we’re proud to do it …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsretailers

Puptqe to Open First Georgia Location in Alpharetta Area

by Katie Lee

Alpharetta, Ga. — Puptqe, an award-winning pet retailer, is expanding into Georgia with its first location planned for the Alpharetta area. The new store will feature Puptqe’s dog boutique along with its membership, private parties, community gatherings and interactive activities for dogs and their owners. “Puptqe was built around celebrating the relationship we have with our dogs and the memories we create with them,” says Courtney Honda, president and co-founder of Puptqe. The new location will introduce Puptqe to the Georgia market and will be locally operated. Puptqe opened its …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Papa Johns Names Global Chief Development Officer & SVP, International

by Katie Lee

Louisville, Ky. — Papa Johns International, Inc. has made some changes to its leadership team to further support the company’s ongoing strategic transformation. John Matter, who serves as senior vice president, general counsel and interim head of North American development, has been named to the newly created position of global chief development officer and assistant corporate secretary, which will be responsible for leading growth and development strategy, including global expansion, franchise development, strategic partnerships and other opportunities to create shareholder value. Matter has more than 25 years of legal and …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Ross Stores to Open 110 Locations in 2026

by Katie Lee

Dublin, Calif. — During the months of June and July, Ross Stores, Inc. opened 47 new stores nationwide — including 35 Ross Dress for Less® and 12 dd’s DISCOUNTS® locations across 15 states and territories. With these new openings, the company is on track to open approximately 110 stores this year. “Each new opening allows us to deliver compelling value to even more customers while creating new jobs and making a positive impact in the local communities,” says Richard Lietz, executive vice president, property development. “Building on the strong new …

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Newspeoplerestaurants

Portillo’s Names New Chief Financial Officer

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Portillo’s, a fast-casual restaurant concept known for serving Chicago-style favorites for more than 60 years, has appointed Kevin Kalicak as chief financial officer and treasurer, effective Sept. 7, 2026. Kalicak joins Portillo’s bringing decades of financial leadership within the restaurant industry, serving in various roles with Darden Restaurants for more than 25 years. As CFO of Portillo’s, he will oversee the company’s finance organization, including financial planning and analysis, accounting, investor relations, internal audit, tax, supply chain and other corporate financial functions. “Kevin is a proven financial leader …

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Spencer Spirit Holdings, Inc. to Acquire Hot Topic, Inc., Expanding to More Than 3,000 Stores

by Katie Lee

City of Industry, Calif., and Egg Harbor Township, N.J. — Spencer Spirit Holdings, Inc. has signed a definitive agreement with Sycamore Partners to acquire Hot Topic, Inc. and its portfolio of brands: Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Her Universe. The transaction unites six highly complementary retail concepts under one umbrella, expanding the combined company’s total footprint to more than 3,000 stores across North America. Together, the combined entity creates a bicoastal retail ecosystem rooted in culture and entertainment. By combining deep consumer insights across distinct fan-centric segments, each of the brands …

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